Haikei
by Ciircee
Summary: When Eriol left Japan Tomoyo promised to write. A history of time, in letters. ExT. Part of Third Arc universe
1. The First Year

Author's Notes: Wow, biggest thing I've ever written. Semi 'in-jokes' abound when it comes to the music. Style points to whomever gets them without being told. You can e-mail me to find out what the nudgenudge winkwink is about. It's nothing big. Haikei will have a sequel. In fact, it's the first in a series/universe I'm calling 'Third Arc'. Cannon Manga and Cannon Anime have been smashed together to form the background of this piece. Elements of both are here. Deal with it. 

Note to note: This fic IS finished...however, I have to post it as chapters due to size. Expect the next few chapters over the coming week. I'm doing a basic proof-and-edit as I post. Mistakes...ah, even the best of us make 'em.

Disclaimer: You can bet that if I owned CCS than none of this fic would be necessary. Don't sue me. Sue CLAMP!

Dedication: To Chelle-sama, for beta on this monster and it's monster sequel. And beta on the others in the Third Arc. You're the best. Now go finish a story for me.

__

Haikei 

'I'll write too.' ~~Tomoyo to Eriol. Vol. 12 part 5

* * * (The First Year After Leaving Tomoeda) * * *

The paper was smooth beneath his fingertips. A pale blue slip of paper, cool to the touch, that contained only a handful of sentences. Neat rows of Japanese characters marched over the page, as thought the writer had been a bit snappish, a bit exasperated, and a touch amused. It made him smile.

Haikei Hiiragizawa-kun, It began, 

_It has been just two days since you left Tomoeda and already I have cause to write to you. Li-kun has left for Hong Kong just this morning, he is uncertain of his return date. He told Sakura-chan that he loves her; Sakura-chan has not yet given him an answer to his feelings, though she is so sad that it is obvious she loves Li-kun very much._

_Perhaps you could have given her a bit more warning than 'When somebody else close to you goes far away…' I most certainly would have appreciated time to prepare._

He was willing to bet Ruby Moon's entire wardrobe that she meant 'prepare my camera' and not 'prepare for a sad Sakura-san'. Sakura-san wasapparently more in love than they'd known. A smile flickered in his gray-violet eyes.

_However, not all is bad news. Yamazaki-kun has been forced to curtail his storytelling without Li-kun to tease and Hiiragizawa-kun to encourage him. Chiharu-chan says that she can feel her blood pressure returning to a state more normal than has been in the past two years._

_Keigu,_

Daidouji Tomoyo 

Eriol folded the letter, tucking it neatly back into its matching envelope; he laid it on the small table in front of his chair and then sat back and considered it, a smile growing on his face. The woman seated on the couch on the other side of the table sent him a quizzical glance.

"Is there something wrong, that Daidouji-chan has written so soon?" She asked. It made his grin widen.

"No, Kaho. Things in Tomoeda are well. Just a small matter she wished to attend to." He smirked. "If you'll excuse me," he rose, "I need to send her a reply yet today." 

Mizuki Kaho smiled. "Tell her that I said 'hello'?" Eriol leaned over and kissed her hand.

"Of course."

* * *

The paper was printed, oddly enough, with Chibiusa. Tomoyo considered it and decided that Hiiragizawa-kun had most likely borrowed it from Akizuki-san; though he was certainly strange enough to have bought it on his own.

Haikei Miss Tomoyo-sama, 

Tomoyo shook her head, curls brushing her cheeks. So, he was not going to be serious.

__

I see that poor Takashi-kun is suffering without my august presence, and Tomoeda along with him. You may tell him that in England it is customary to cut off all one's hair (including eyebrows and lashes) when one has caused a friend to suffer. And that if he does miss me, he would do the same.

I did not give Sakura-san any warning that it was Li-kun who was leaving because I wanted her to realize her feelings for him. I didn't feel that she could do that if she was already braced for him to leave. I also didn't realize that Li-kun had enough bravery to tell her how he felt before he left. The Clan is not going to like this news, since he is already engaged to Li Meiling. 

That Li Syaoran was betrothed to Meiling-chan was not news. That his family would not approve of his feelings for Sakura-chan was somewhat unexpected. His mother had seemed very fond of her, the one time that they had met.

I would not worry about the Li Clan, 

Ah.

__

As Li Yelan, Li-kun's mother, likes Sakura-san very much; it doesn't hurt that Sakura-san is a very powerful magician.

Keigu, __

Hiiragizawa Eriol

P.S. Kaho-san says 'hello'. Ruby Moon would probably say so as well, but she is trying to stuff Spinel full of sand. 

"Ohayou, Tomoyo-chan." Sakura murmured, sliding into her seat. "What is that you're reading?"

Tomoyo folded the letter and slipped back into the zebra-striped envelope in which it had arrived. "A letter from Hiiragizawa-kun. It arrived last night, but I was practicing for today's Maths exam."

"He wrote letters to us already?" Her eyes grew as round as saucers. "I didn't know we were supposed to write right away!"

"He wrote because I sent him a letter to tell him that Li-kun had left." Even as she said his name, Tomoyo winced. Predictably Sakura's eyes went sad.

"I should have written to Eriol-kun to tell him that. He told me to think about how it felt differently."

Tomoyo patted Sakura's arm comfortingly. "Hiiragizawa-kun understands that you are upset about Li-kun leaving. He is very much like your father, in some ways." This seemed to cheer her friend up. "And Mizuki-sensei says 'hello'."

"I should write to them both soon." Then, "HOE! We have a Maths exam today?"

* * *

"C'mon, Suppi…have a scone. They're not sweet, I promise! Eriol's had some, he can tell you!" 

"Hah." Then, "Who's 'Suppi'?"

"Come down, Suppi-_CHAN _and have a scone. I baked them just todaaaaaaay!" Ruby Moon trilled hopefully.

"No. And don't call me 'Suppi'. My name is Spinel. Eriol, tell that Baka to back off!" He glared down at the 'baka' in question; "I'm not having a scone."

"Awww, Suppi-chaaaaaaaaan. Come to Nakuru-saaaaaaaan. Teatime is family time! Eriol," she wheedled, "tell Suppi to come down from the chandelier!"

Eriol smiled. And ignored his creations entreaties for help entirely.

"Eriol, the mail is here. You have another letter from Daidouji-chan." Kaho's brow wrinkled as she handed him the letter. "Are you sure that there is nothing wrong?"

He nodded, smiling slightly as he slipped the envelope from her hand. "Certain." He picked up his tea and took a sip as he opened the letter. And nearly choked laughing. 

__

Haikei Hiiragizawa-kun,

I have not, and will not, tell Yamazaki-kun any such thing. __

Keigu, 

Daidouji Tomoyo

Enclosed was a page from an address book. A page with the addresses of both Takashi Yamazaki and Li Syaoran.

Eriol raised his cup as Kaho took her seat at the other end of the table. "A toast," he chuckled, "to Daidouji-san. Just as sneaky and twice as wicked as I am." He drank.

"You are endearingly strange, Eriol." Kaho told him as she drank to his toast.

Ruby Moon launched a teacup at Spinel. "Come down!"

* * *

Tomoyo looked at Sakura, daydreaming her way through PE. Though she seemed to be back to her usual, cheerful self, somebody who knew her well, somebody like Tomoyo, could see that Sakura was still troubled. Tomoyo made up her mind to talk to her after school.

"Sakura-chan? Do you want to walk home with me?"

"Gomen, Tomoyo-chan, I can't. I promised Chiharu-chan that I would help her think up a new cheer." Sakura told her happily. "We're going to be in the Cheering Tournament!"

"Yes, I know. Hmmm. Do you have a moment now?"

"I always have a moment for Tomoyo-chan!" She giggled. "What's bothering you?"

"More like, 'what is bothering Sakura-chan?'" Tomoyo told her, and watched the telltale way that Sakura shifted her eyes away as she answered.

"Nothing is bothering me. Only, I'm very busy."

"Sakura-chan, you haven't been the same, not really the same, since Li-kun left." Nearly two months ago, but Tomoyo didn't think that Sakura needed anybody else to keep track of the time that he had been gone.

"Mou, Tomoyo-chan…that was a long time ago. I'm fine. I'm going to be late meeting Chiharu-chan! Ja ne, I'll see you tomorrow, okay; you said you wanted to make a film, right?"

But she didn't wait to hear Tomoyo's murmur of assent or her 'goodbye'. This was the one-billionth time that Sakura had found a way to avoid talking about Li-kun or her feelings for him. Sakura was keeping her feelings most tightly bottled up and that was making her withdrawn and slightly depressed. Oh, not all the time, no, but enough to make Tomoyo worry. Unfortunately, Sakura-chan would not talk to her about this matter. There had to be something that she could do to help, the only problem was…what?

Tomoyo pondered the matter as she walked home. Her mother would be furious that she'd walked home alone instead of calling for the bodyguards, but it was almost impossible to think with them there; in part because they were very nice and liked to ask her about her day and her friends and if there were any boys. Boys. Li-kun. Sakura-chan. 

Sakura missed Li Syaoran. 

She would not write to him because she didn't know what to say to him.

He would not write to_ her _because he didn't want to pressure her into giving him an answer.

They were both blind, as far as Tomoyo could tell. But neither asked Tomoyo for her opinion and Sakura bolted every time she brought up the subject. Li-kun was too busy being nervous and afraid, waiting for Sakura to answer him to listen to the basic truth Tomoyo had told him. Sakura _had_ confessed her feelings, in her own way. Only, neither of them could see that. 

She sighed as she reached her front door. As much as she disliked the prospect, it was time to pull out the big guns. She smiled suddenly as she stepped into the foyer. Who was she kidding? She liked pulling out the big guns. Pulling out the big guns gave her time to get her camera ready.

"Tomoyo?" Sonomi's voice rang out. "Would you like to have tea with me before I head back to the office?"

"Yes, Mother, in a bit. I have to do something first. It won't take long."

* * *

Eriol had sworn to himself that he wouldn't. Had sworn both as himself and as Clow Reed that, if given the chance to lead a semi-normal life, he absolutely _would not_. He paced in front of the windows overlooking the pond in the back lawns. A lone duck paddled about, then dove briefly out of sight.

He had promised himself.

Eriol stared down at the letter in his hand. No. _Absolutely_ not. He'd _promised_.

__

Haikei Hiiragizawa-kun,

I would like to ask for your advice on a subject. Say you had a friend, whom you loved very dearly, who was very sad. Say also that you knew the reason for her sadness was that the person she loved most in the world was very far away. You know that for your friends happiness she needs to talk to her beloved, but your friend hasn't yet told her most special person her true feeling for them, even though he told her that he loves her. What would you do? __

Keigu,

Daidouji Tomoyo

But it wouldn't really be _manipulating_ would it? To help a friend? Three friends? 

Just giving some harmless advice. Right? Not even meddling, really. Right? Right.

However, he knew Xiao-Lang. And he knew Sakura. There was no way to help them without…prodding. And he'd made a _vow_.

They were both unhappy. Tomoyo hadn't been able to help. He was fairly certain that he knew a way to get things moving in the right direction.

But the strategic _pushing_ that would have to be done.

Well, it wouldn't be him doing it, would it? He would be here, far away in England and not anywhere near Tomoeda _or_ Hong Kong.

Only, Tomoyo might not have thought of this course of action on her own. And Eriol didn't want to do any more manipulating. He'd grown sick of it when he was still a part of Clow.

But family _was _family and friends _were_ friends and both Xiao-Lang and Sakura were part of his family. And Tomoyo was his friend. And really, she might miss Mei-Ling. Mei-Ling was her friend. Mei-Ling was his family. He'd just be helping his family.

Still, the whole thing simply smacked of machination and deception.

"Eriol?" Spinel sighed from his spot by the fire. "Just do it. You're going to anyhow."

Eriol glared. "No I'm not. I made a pact with myself."

"He's going to do it." Ruby Moon chirped. "He just wants to talk himself into it first.

Eriol increased his glaring. It had no real effect. He sighed.

"Ruby Moon? May I borrow some stationary?"

"I have more Chibiusa aaaaaaand I have Neo-Queen Serenity and Chibiusa as Wicked Lady!"

"…You have Wicked Lady?"

"I used to have Tuxedo Kamen, but I used that to send a special letter to Yue-san."

"I don't think 'HA HA HA' counts as a proper letter, let alone a 'special' one, Ruby Moon."

"Eriol, perhaps you should buy your own stationary. You'll be keeping your fingers in this anyway."

"It does SO! I even used TWO stamps."

"No I won't, Spinel. It's just this one time. I won't need stationary." 

"It's okay if he uses mine, Suppi. I'll just buy more. But not Usagi in her school uniform. It's ugly."

* * *

I would contact Li Meiling. 

A short answer. Tomoyo thought about that. Perhaps he'd been very busy. Maybe he didn't want to help, but felt he had to, for Sakura. She frowned and tapped the letter against her hand. She didn't want to be a bother, and if he didn't want to be involved, and she wouldn't push him…when a smudge on the back of the paper caught her attention. Very tiny writing that informed her that,

__

Eriol likes to help and to make little plots. It's like a game. But he is afraid of manipulating people; he doesn't want anybody to be hurt. He wants life to be normal. But he wouldn't like ordinary normal.

Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon (Akizuki Nakuru and Suppi!) 

She understood. Clow had been omnipotent. Eriol had been forced to maneuver Sakura into creating the Sakura Cards. He was tired of arranging things all the time. Of needing to arrange things. She could understand that.

I would contact Li Meiling…but why? She was in Hong Kong and Tomoyo doubted that Syaoran would discuss his troubles with Meiling-chan. Still, Meiling had known about his feelings for Sakura. She'd made mention of it once, as the two of them had stood by and watched Syaoran and Sakura capture a card. Meiling had known his feelings before he had.

And perhaps Li-kun was sad in Hong Kong. 

Meiling loved him and would be sad with him. She would want to help. She'd want him to talk to Sakura and find out how Sakura felt. But Li Syaoran didn't want to pressure Sakura. 

Tomoyo was already in contact with Meiling. She had been ever since Meiling had cried herself to sleep. And while they had talked about their feelings for Syaoran and Sakura, they'd never really talked about what Syaoran and Sakura felt for each other. Tomoyo had written several times, but e-mail was faster. Her content smile was edged with the thrill of the plot as she settled herself down with her laptop.

As she waited for the computer to boot up, she scribbled a quick note to Eriol and placed it on her dresser for one of the servants to take to the post box for her.

* * *

It was a strange letter.

Arigatou, Hiiragizawa-kun. 

And lower down, nearly at the bottom of the page, in the smallest writing he'd ever seen,

Arigatou. 

Her name was signed with a hurried flourish.

"It's an odd letter, don't you think?" He asked the room at large.

"Another letter from Daidouji-chan?" Kaho questioned from where she sat grading papers.

"Hmm? Yes. She asked for some advice." He blinked at the letter again. "I think she appreciated it. She didn't say much. I wonder if she…"

"Perhaps Tomoyo-san was busy. She's a very clever girl, I'm sure she understood what your intention was with what you wrote. I'm certain she understood." Spinel winked at Ruby Moon behind Eriol's back.

Kaho watched them, but didn't comment.

* * *

__

Haikei Meiling-chan,

Tell me, has Li-kun been looking like this lately?

The words blinked at Meiling from her computer screen. She glanced around the computer center, her classmates all appeared to be very busy with the program they were supposed to be working on. She could help some of them, she knew, it would certainly qualify as extra-credit. And she did want to get better than full marks to make up for her Japanese scores. On the other hand, Daidouji never asked pointless questions.

She clicked on the link at the bottom of the e-mail. A picture of Sakura smiled happily at her. But her eyes weren't completely happy. It wasn't something you'd see unless you knew how to look for it. Unless you'd been seeing your beloved cousin wearing that very same look. She slid a sidelong glance down the row to where said cousin sat, his chin on his fist, staring at dust motes as they floated past. She hit the 'reply' button.

__

Haikei Daidouji-san,

They're both very timid, aren't they? But this is not the sort of thing to be done in a letter or a phone call—not that Kinomoto-san or my dear cousin would think of doing either of those things, oh no. What shall we do?

Keigu, __

Li Meiling

Send. Things were going to get interesting. Or at least, she thought, glaring at Xiao-Lang, they had better.

* * *

Tomoyo nodded, satisfied as she read Meiling's latest e-mail. So, she had help. The only problem now, was a plan. It looked as though Meiling expected her to come up with one, which she really couldn't. That was why she had contacted Eriol and he had pointed her at Meiling. She pondered that. There was something he saw that she didn't. Some plan that Meiling would be a part of that she didn't know yet.

She sighed.

"This," She declared to her room, "would be a lot easier if Meiling-chan were here to brainstorm with instead of in Hong Kong." Which was too bad, Tomoyo generally missed the other girl's open candor. But Meiling _was_ in Hong Kong and she had classes to attend. 

Wait.

Meiling was in Hong Kong _now_, but she had been in Tomoeda once. Meiling had made friends in Tomoeda. Friends that missed her, that she might be missing enough to come to visit when school was on break. Tomoyo tilted her head, thinking. There was plenty of room in her house for a guest or two. And Meiling had wanted to improve her Japanese, hadn't she? And didn't she once say that she had Japanese as a class in her school in Hong Kong?

Tomoyo pulled her laptop over to her bed. 

_Haikei Meiling-chan,_

She began. Meiling checked her e-mail at school, in a class she shared with Syaoran. She would have to be careful. Li-kun did not need to be informed of matters any sooner than absolutely necessary. 

_Didn't you say recently how very much you've been missing all your friends in Japan and how you wished that you could come to visit us soon? I might be able to talk my Mother into letting you stay with us if you come to visit while you are on holiday from school._

* * *

Eriol paced. 

He fretted. 

He wondered. 

And waited. 

And waited still more. 

Spinel watched with disinterest and a certain knowing smirk, Nakuru with outright amusement, both of which Eriol ignored with aplomb. Mizuki Kaho watched the scene unfold with a bewildered curiosity.

A week and a half after Tomoyo's letter had arrived Eriol began stalking the mailman. 

Two weeks after it had arrived, Ruby Moon bet Spinel a weeks worth of cooking dinner that Eriol would crack within five days. 

Spinel won the bet by three days, when, on the morning of the start of the third week Eriol suddenly stood up during breakfast and slammed his way into the study. Nakuru bolted after him. 

* * *

__

Haikei Tomoyo-sama,

It has been three weeks, tell me what's happening!

Keigu,

Hiiragizawa Eriol __

PS: Ruby Moon is sending a letter with for you to give to Sakura-san to give to Kinomoto-san for her. I believe it contains her undying affections and a promise to visit him soon, as he must be pining away with longing. Truly, Tomoeda suffers without us.

Tomoyo smiled as she read his letter. Then laughed aloud. 

"Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura sat swinging her legs outside of Café Piffle Princess eating an ice cream and wearing a bemused expression. "Did Eriol-kun say something funny in his letter?" She took a bite and continued, "Mizuki-sensei says that he's been acting funny lately."

She smiled gently at Sakura. "He said something I think was funny." Sakura blinked. "He also said that Akizuki-san sent something for Touya-san." Tomoyo handed Sakura a pink and purple envelope. "Shall we take it to him now?"

Sakura grinned widely. "Yes. This morning he told Daddy that we had to have the walls soundproofed because all night all he could hear were monster noises!" She stomped one foot. "I hope Akizuki-san said she's coming to visit him tomorrow!" Tomoyo laughed again.

* * *

__

Haikei Hiiragizawa-kun,

Since you ask so nicely, I will tell you. There is going to be a festival in a month. Interestingly enough, the week of the festival coincides with summer break at Li-kun and Meiling-chan's school. Meiling-chan and I have decided that, since she misses Tomoeda very much, she should come to the Festival on holiday and stay with me so that she can walk to school with me and see all her old friends. Of course, she cannot travel alone and Li-kun also has friends here…

Keigu,

Daidouji Tomoyo

PS I believe that Touya-san received the letter and promptly stuffed it down the garbage disposal. Tell Akizuki-san to try again. And maybe not to use the word 'boy-toy' so often. 

"She _read_ it?! Tomoyo-chan, sweet, innocent Tomoyo-chan read my letter to Touya-kun?"

Eriol glanced up at the girl hanging over his shoulder as he read. "I haven't gotten that far yet."

She waited impatiently.

"Well, it certainly seems as though she's had a look at the contents." Eriol reached over to Ruby Moon's desk, conveniently next to his own, pulled a piece of paper toward him, "Ruby Moon, should I be using paper that has Usagi and Mamoru kissing or do you think the wedding paper is better?"

"How could she?! Those were my private, personal thoughts. My deepest emotions poured out in ink! It was meant for Touya-kun's eyes alone! And I like the kissing one, so you use the wedding one."

"You sent the same letter, the exact same letter, to Yukito-san. And half the other boys you chased in Tomoeda." Spinel reminded her. "Use the kissing, the wedding paper probably isn't too appropriate."

"But that one had To-ya's _name_ on it! Eriol, you tell wicked, spying Tomoyo-chan not to peek into my private affairs. Tell her she's too young to understand the love that To-ya and I share. Tell her she can keep her advice!" She flounced past Mizuki Kaho and out of the study. "Don't touch my kissing paper!"

"You might as well by your own stationary." Spinel said. When he got no reply he blinked lazily and settled into a patch of sunlight with a large book. 

Eriol began to write.

Kaho stood in the doorway, brows drawn together. "Aren't either of you going to say something to Akizuki-san? She seems very upset."

Two heads cocked in unison, as though listening to something far away. Both heads shook. Eriol began to hum quietly to himself. A moment later Nakuru bounced back into the room.

"Here." Nakuru held out a yellow envelope with Touya's name printed boldly across the front. "Tell Tomoyo-chan I didn't use 'boy-toy' once."

* * *

__

Haikei Daidouji-san,

I just wanted to thank you very much for letting me borrow your copy of the performances at the Festival and Sakura-san's latest adventure. You sang very beautifully, as always. The tape will be returned to you shortly by return post. I hope you don't mind that I made a copy of it for myself.

I also wanted to say how very sorry I am about Void taking you and Li Meiling. I wish that I had recalled Master Reed's memory of her earlier. 

Keigu,

Hiiragizawa-kun 

Tomoyo ran her fingers over the last lines of the letter. Poor Hiiragizawa felt he was to blame for what had happened at the festival. In truth, she didn't remember anything after Void had taken her. And while it had been scary, she had known that Sakura and Syaoran would save them all. And Eriol was not Clow Reed. She certainly didn't expect him to remember details of Clow's life, especially not after having Sakura divide his powers so that he could be mostly normal.

She picked up her phone and hit the speed dial. A moment later and she had Sakura on the line.

"Sakura-chan? Do you blame Hiiragizawa for what happened at the festival?" She could hear Sakura's surprise radiate over the phone.

"Of course not, Tomoyo-chan! He helped us! He told me about the Void card and what she could do. He helped as much as he could!" A slight pause. "Do you think he was to blame? Because he wasn't, he even came all the way to Tomoeda to try to help us!"

"No, Sakura-chan. I know that he wanted to help more. I was just making sure that we felt the same way. I think that maybe Hiiragizawa blames himself for what happened. I thought I would write him a letter to say thank-you."

"That's a great idea, Tomoyo-chan! I didn't say 'thank you' at the tea-party because I just had too much to say to him and…Syaoran-kun was there and…"

Tomoyo listened with half an ear as she reread the last part of the letter. He had gotten there for the aftermath. He'd tried to get there earlier but, as he'd explained at the celebratory tea party, his publisher had detained him. Which was certainly exciting, as far as she was concerned. He had been working on a book about magic and the phone call and meeting that had kept him were his first contact with the people who would publish his book. Tomoyo understood business. Some things could wait and others couldn't. And Sakura-chan had managed fine on her own, with Li-kun to help her and Yue-san and Kero-chan to protect her. 

As far as Tomoyo could see, the only real tragedy had been not getting it all on tape. And Sakura had confessed her feelings to Syaoran! It must have been very romantic, she thought with a sigh. 

"Tomoyo-chan?" She snapped back to attention. "What are you thinking about?"

"I missed capturing Sakura's first declaration of love." She told her honestly.

"Ho-hoeee! Tomoyo-chan!"

* * *

Eriol paced his study, a wondrous idea blooming in his mind. A book. Another book, and this one not about ancient magics. Something fun, fun to do and fun to read. He continued to pace, holding Yamazaki's letter behind his back in his clasped hands. Even though he wasn't looking at the letter, phrases kept leaping out at him.

"…_five-hundred feet tall_…" and "_Hundreds of years ago, when the world was still flat_…"

And it had been such a long time since Eriol had told any good whoppers. It'd been a while since he'd told any kind of story. Ruby Moon and Spinel were not nearly as good an audience as Sakura-san and Xiao-Lang. And he _missed_ it. Kaho, he knew, didn't. As young as she acted she didn't really enjoy the fine art of storytelling with Yamazaki; she generally got impatient as he read off the stories his friend sent him, often correcting the details so that they were truthful.

And yes, it was a wild idea, this new book. And who knew if a publisher would even accept it, let alone if such a book would make any money. But oh, what a grand idea it was. Mind suddenly made up; Eriol threw himself into his desk, grabbing stationary as he went.

__

Haikei Daidouji-san,

I need your help, if you would lend it to me. I have an idea for a book. A new kind of book. A book of the stories that Yamazaki-kun and I tell. We have been telling them in letters ever since I left Tomoeda and now…now I want to put them into a book. __

The problem is, I don't have anybody here to tell the stories too, so I don't know how good a book it would be. I would like for you to listen and watch what the others say when Yamazaki-kun tells our stories. Try to figure out which ones they like best, which are the funniest and which sound true. I would ask Yamazaki-kun to do it, but I don't want to tell him about this idea until I get some of the best stories written down and accepted by a publisher. Yamazaki-kun wants to go to Medical School and I don't want him to count on having income from book royalties from a book that might not ever go anywhere.

_If it would be too much work, Daidouji-san, then you don't have to do it. I just really want to work on a fun project like this. If it ever got published, we could list you as 'editor'._

Keigu,

Hiiragizawa-kun. 

Eriol sat back and looked at his letter. It reeked of desperation. He frowned. "Ruby Moon! Come read this! Does it reek of desperation, or is it just me?"

* * *

Tomoyo stared at the two letters sitting on her bedside table. The handwriting and return address were the same. They were both from Hiiragizawa. But she'd never gotten two letters in one day before and only one had the usual striped envelope and polar bear stamp. The other…the other was a plain white envelope. The paper inside also looked to be plain white. And the stamp had a British Flag on it. Something, she thought, was wrong. 

She opened the usual letter first, beaming as she read. A book with Yamazaki-kun was a lovely idea. She would help, of course. She would be honored to help them. She would be the first in line to buy a copy. Two copies, the smiled tugged at her mouth, one for Li-kun and one for Sakura-chan.

She wasn't a sensitive, like Touya-san, and she didn't have magic like Li-kun or Sakura-chan, she couldn't see what was hidden in magic or death or the super-natural. But the second letter felt painful and raw and scared just to hold in her hands. The first words leapt out at her.

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

Please, please can I call you Tomoyo-san? At least for this one night? I want a friend with me but I don't have any here in England and nobody here knows the truth about Ruby Moon and Spinel and me and Kaho is at home. And I know that she has to get her sleep tonight, that she has to go with on the class trip tomorrow, I know that but I wish she wasn't gone. I don't want to be alone. I want a friend. I want a friend to sit with me all night in this big, cold hospital. It's a hospital; it shouldn't be this cold. Ruby Moon will get cold. I should get her another blanket. She's hurt, she shouldn't be cold. I want her to wake up and talk to me. But the doctor gave her medicine so she would sleep.

I think I hit the boy who pushed her. I don't remember. My hands hurt so I think I did. He shouldn't have pushed her. Ruby Moon was only chasing him for fun. He could have said stop. She would have. She would have stopped if he'd told her calmly. He didn't have to push her. And that idiot shouldn't have been driving so fast! It's a school zone, not a racetrack! 

He could have killed her. If Ruby Moon wasn't Ruby Moon, if it was just Nakuru on the outside and on the inside, she'd be dead. The doctor said she was lucky because she should have had a lot of broken bones and probably be dead. But he doesn't know that she would be, she would be if it weren't for the fact she isn't just Nakuru. She's Ruby Moon; my lovely, funny, chattering Autumn Moon. And she'd been so brave, Tomoyo-san. Clow's memories have been fading ever since Sakura-san sealed all the Clow Cards, but I don't think that he ever felt this scared or lonely or sad. I don't think he ever really faced death; somebody you love dying. I never have. Not me. And it was Ruby Moon. 

She kept telling me that she was fine. That she was okay, but she wasn't Tomoyo-san. She wasn't okay. She couldn't move without hurting, I could tell. She was so tired and quiet and hurt. Tomoyo-san. She's hurt. I can't make it better, either. So I'm sitting here with her, because I can't do anything else. Kaho needs to be rested so that she can go on the school trip and I can't bring Spinel to the hospital because somebody would see. The nurses come in all the time. I don't want to be alone, Tomoyo-san. Please be my friend for tonight. __

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

She put down the second letter with hands that shook. She was very, very certain that he hadn't thought before he'd mailed that letter to her. She couldn't imagine him pouring out his deepest fears and sadness like that, not in the clear light of day. Tomoyo closed her eyes on a swift stab of pain for him. It had happened days ago, she knew, but she couldn't help herself. He had been so lonely, so small and frightened and alone. She felt one quick flash of hatred for Mizuki Kaho, for leaving Eriol when he was so obviously upset. She sighed. Most likely only she, Tomoyo, had seen the depth of his emotions that night. She didn't know if he'd begged her to stay with him or not. 

She'd have stayed, a part of her heart whispered, even if he hadn't asked. She'd have stayed with Eriol and his Ruby Moon. Who wouldn't have? Akizuki-san was such a bright, lively person, to see her quiet and still in a hospital bed was a travesty of nature. And Eriol was so alone in the world as it was. Tomoyo thought of the only time that she'd been so frightened, the time that Voice had stolen her voice. Mother had stayed with her. Had left work early and stayed home all the next day and the day after that. It had been, despite everything, one of the best times she'd known. Her mother had made tea and cakes and been a constant presence at her side. Tomoyo considered that for a moment. 

She couldn't be in England. But Daidouji Toys had a branch there. She smiled, reaching for the phone. It was time to abuse some of her privileges. "Daidouji Toys, England? This is Daidouji Tomoyo. Yes. Yes. I need to schedule a delivery. Mm-hmm. For as soon as possible."

* * *

Glossary of sorts--you should know some of these words anyway.

Haikei: (as you may have guessed) Dear (so and so--letter address)  
Keigu: Sincerely yours, (letter close)  
Mou: Geez!  
Arigatou: Thank you  
Jaa: Well, well then  
Anou: Umm, well, err, say...  
Ja-ne: See you later  
Gomen/Gomenne, Gomennasi: Sorry! (to varying degrees of remorse and/or politeness)   
Hai: Yes, okay, sure. (Very mutli-use word ^.^)  
Hoe: It's one of those things Sakura says. Actually, her dad has said it too. ^.^

The Autumn Moon bit? Akizuki can be translated as literally 'autumn moon'. Aki-autumn tsuki-moon. Naku-to cry or to sing (bird song) and Kuru-to come, to come to hand, to wind or reel in. Hence, 'his' chattering Autumn moon. ^.^


	2. The Second Year

Disclaimers: In Chapt. One, but they still apply here. I'm still not CLAMP and still not making a dime.  
Author's Note: Xiao-Lang and Mei-Ling are the Cantonese pronunciations for Syaoran and Meiling. To find translations for the Japanese words (and no, I don't speak Japanese; I just love the way it sounds) please go to http://www.notredame.ac.jp/cgi-bin/jedi-inon It's tons of fun.

Note to note: I'm right about all this letter writing business! Hahaha! Watch the second CCS movie and marvel! I came up with this idea before I saw it. Sorry, I need to gloat. It was a great moment for me.

Dedicated: Still to Chelle-sama. Also to Tin, Sakura, Kit Spooner, Suppi-chan, and Card Captor Schuelter. They're some of my very favorite CCS authors and usually just reading their stuff makes me feel so accomplished (or, you know, inadequate) that I don't bother to work on my own. ^.~ Thanks.

NOTE: I don't know WHAT is up with the missing italics, spaces and weird font-changes. I've checked and double checked in two different browsers and four different versions of them. I don't have a clue. Chances are if the text is bigger than normal it was meant to be italics, though this doesn't seem to be holding true. I've contacted ff.net about it, so hopefully it'll get fixed. Thanks for your patience. 

* * * (The Second Year After Leaving Tomoeda) * * *

Eriol was sitting with Spinel in the solarium when Ruby Moon came bounding in, slower than usual but definitely a 'bound', followed by Kaho. He smiled at both women pleasantly. 

"Home already, Kaho? The trip must have ended early." He stood to hug her, but she drew away. He frowned. "Not a good trip?"

"You told Daidouji about the incident with Akizuki-san?" Her voice was tight and controlled. Possibly, he reflected, even angry. Spinel glanced at Ruby Moon and flew out of the room.

"I might have mentioned it, yes." This, he thought, was not the time to tell her about his frantic midnight ramble. "Any particular reason you ask?" He wasn't defensive, he told himself. He wasn't still hurt or angry over the fact that she'd gone home to Reed Manor while he'd stayed with Ruby Moon in the hospital. 

"Because six Daidouji Toys trucks just pulled up at the gate and said that we had a delivery. SIX!" Ruby Moon was almost literally beside herself. "And I buzzed them in at the gate and they're pulling up to the door right now!" 

Spinel met them at the door. "I believe Daidouji Tomoyo-san has sent us something."

She had, indeed, sent them something. A rather lot of something. Eriol counted over fifty bunches of balloons, weighted down with teddy bears, bags of sweets and dried fruits; the largest bunch was attached to a jigsaw puzzle. He grinned as Ruby Moon began to collect the cards attached to the balloons while Spinel hovered above, directing her movements through the forest of Mylar. 

"Is there a letter in all of this?" Eriol laughed, crawling on the floor with Ruby Moon and pulling the gift tags off. 

"If you put them all together, they should form a letter." Spinel said, smiling despite himself.

"Good idea Suppi!" Ruby Moon crowed, standing suddenly and disrupting the canopy. And so they began the work of laying the cards out, trying to find the correct order. Sometime in the excitement, Kaho left to unpack. Eventually, as Kaho finished and rejoined them, they had a finished product.

__

Haikei minna,

I was horrified to hear of Ruby Moon-san's accident and am very glad that everything turned out okay. I wish I could have been there during the crisis, but since I couldn't then I hope that these balloons will cheer you up for me. 

Eriol-kun, I am very happy to be your friend, whenever you need one. __

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san.

PS. I would be honored to help you in your new project, Eriol-kun.

"Tomoyo-san." Eriol grinned. "I'll have to write, right away."

"What 'new project' Eriol?" Kaho frowned. He didn't hear her; he was already in his study.

* * *

"Sakura-chan, you're putting in salt, not sugar." Tomoyo smiled and took the measuring cup from Sakura. "This is the first time that you're making chocolates for Li-kun, isn't it?"

"Un." Sakura muttered. "I need to get this right. He's so far away; this needs to be special." The Sweet suddenly glowed on the countertop. The Move must have brought it, because it hadn't been there before. Sakura didn't even blink. "I appreciate the offer, but I want to do this all on my own." She told the card as she dropped the bowl of candy sprinkles on the floor. "Mou! I need extra hands, Tomoyo-chan!" Mirror appeared in her true form and then slid into Sakura's. Tomoyo stared.

"I can help." The new Sakura said. "I would like to make a chocolate for Oniisama." 

"Oniichan?!" Sakura, the original, yelped. Mirror-Sakura flushed.

Tomoyo knew that Kinomoto-sensei and Touya knew about the Cards and the Guardians now, but she had the sensation that Touya had known long before Sakura-chan had breathed a word. He was sharp-eyed, especially regarding Sakura. She tilted her head and studied Mirror. Or, more precisely, Mirror's hair ribbons. Which she hadn't had before, Tomoyo was sure. She shifted and glanced at Sakura and then back at Mirror. Touya, she decided, was a very loving older brother; to more than one little sister. She smiled.

"It would be good to have help." She told Sakura, then turned to Mirror. "What shape do you want for Touya-san's chocolate?" Mirror beamed.

"O-okay…" Sakura stuttered. "Tomoyo-chan, who are you going to make chocolates for? Other than me, because you always make my chocolates at your house and when I said I wanted you to come over to make chocolates with me you said yes and you set up your video camera, you're not holding it." Sakura finished in a rush.

Tomoyo stirred her chocolate thoughtfully. She didn't know why, exactly, she was doing this. Making more chocolates than just those for Sakura, making them with Sakura rather than at her house. "Eriol-kun." She said at last. "And Ruby Moon and Spinel." She didn't want to make any for Mizuki-sensei. She didn't know why she felt that way either. "And Mizuki-sensei, I guess. I wouldn't want her to be left out."

"Mizuki-sensei doesn't like sweets, she really doesn't. Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked gently. "I know that you're sad that the person you love most doesn't love you back. I wish that you did have somebody who loved you most, so that you could love them most too." While Tomoyo blinked, Sakura went back to measuring, sugar this time. 

"Tomoyo-chan? Can I ask you another question?" Tomoyo wasn't sure she should risk it, but nodded nonetheless. "Why do you call Akizuki-san 'Ruby Moon' all the time? I call Yukito-san 'Yukito-san' but not 'Yue-san' and I don't call Yue-san 'Yukito-san'."

"I think it's because Eriol-kun calls her Ruby Moon all the time." Tomoyo said, pouring chocolate to be molded. "And really, Ruby Moon isn't so different from Akizuki-san as Tsukishiro-san is from Yue-san. They're different people, even if they're alike in some ways, Tsukishiro-san and Yue-san, I mean. But Ruby Moon and Akizuki Nakuru are like looking at two different pictures of the same person. Spinel is just Spinel even when he's in his big form."

"Oh." Sakura shrugged. "I guess that makes sense. Akizuki-san always knew about Ruby Moon-san and Yukito-san didn't know about Yue-san. So they would be different from each other." 

Mirror began to hum. "Cerberus-san says that Clow-sama must have loved Yue-san best because Spinel Sun-san is a lot like Yue-san. And that Ruby Moon-san is not at all like him because she is 'flighty and giggly and all she thinks about are stupid things like boys'. Do you think that's true? We always thought that Clow-sama loved them the same."

It was a lucky thing that Fujitaka was in the house to stop the chocolates from burning; Sakura and Tomoyo were laughing to hard to touch them without getting burnt.

* * *

Kaho had a plate of chocolate hearts sitting on his desk in the study when he came home from school. Eriol smiled. "I thought that you'd forgotten when I didn't find any chocolates in my locker."

She giggled as she stepped out from behind a set of bookshelves. "I didn't want to disrupt you at school." She leaned to kiss him, softly. "Happy Valentines Day, Eriol." She whispered. "I hope…"

"MAIL!" Nakuru chirruped, sliding into the study in her stocking feet. "There's mail!" Kaho blinked and drew away from Eriol.

"Akizuki-san, we have mail almost every day." 

"Not from Tomoyo-chan!" Ruby Moon bubbled. "That's the only mail we're interested in." She handed a letter and a box to Eriol. "Open it! Openitopenitopenit!"

Spinel floated into the room, carrying the rest of the day's mail. "My fault. I laced her tea with brandy for her cough. Perhaps I shouldn't have. It seems to have an odd effect." Spinel snickered, his smile clearly reading 'payback'. Eriol grinned at both of them.

"So. Let's see what news there is." He smiled at Kaho and bit into one of her chocolates as he opened Tomoyo's letter and began to read.

__

Haikei Eriol-kun and Ruby Moon and Spinel,

Happy Valentines Day! This year Sakura-chan, Mirror-san, and I made our chocolates together. Sakura-chan had to make a huge batch of chocolates for everybody that she loves. I was only going to make one chocolate, but I decided that I wanted to send a Valentine's gift to my very good friends in England. I don't know what they do for Valentines in England but I decided that I don't want you to feel neglected when everybody in Tomoeda is celebrating. Plus I had a lot more ingredients than I needed. The dried fruits are for Spinel. Ruby Moon, please don't force your chocolates on Spinel or I might think that you didn't like them. And I worked very hard on them, just for you.

Keigu, __

Tomoyo-san

PS. I would have sent some for Mizuki-sensei, but Sakura-chan was most adamant that Mizuki-sensei didn't like candies, and I didn't know what I might send for her.

"Butterfly candies!" Nakuru trilled. "For Ruby Moon's wings!" She pawed through the destroyed box. "And look, she cut the fruits like butterflies for Suppi! Do you have butterflies too, Eriol?" She asked, and looked up when she got no answer. "Eriol?"

"Hm? No. No butterflies. Piano keys." He showed them the bar of chocolate, shaped like a keyboard. "Either she remembers the time we did music together or the time I chased her with a piano. It was the same day, anyway. Actually, this reminds me of something I was going to ask her…" He grinned suddenly. "Well. We shall have to see about finding an appropriate White Day present, won't we?"

Kaho didn't comment.

* * *

Tomoyo was well aware of Sakura, bouncing impatiently just outside the door of the music room, and was sorry about having to ignore her. But Matsu-sensei was asking for the impossible.

"Sensei, I would be honored to do a solo at the concert, however doing a new piece, an original piece…" Tomoyo sighed. "I don't know if I'd have time to learn a new piece, let alone write an original one."

Matsu-Sensei sighed too. "I still think it's a lovely idea. And it would stretch your boundaries, really challenge you. And you're such an exceptional student, Daidouji-san."

"Demo, demo, demo…Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura burst out. "What about that song that Eriol-kun sent to you! It's really pretty…the parts that you were playing before school. You could learn the words to that, couldn't you?"

Tomoyo winced. "Sakura-chan, it doesn't have words yet. That is why Eriol-kun sent it to me, to help with the words. And it isn't mine, I don't have permission to sing it at the concert."

"But you could get permission, right?" Matsu-sensei was quick to catch on to the mini-disaster.

"The song isn't finished. The words and the music both need work. It's still very new." Tomoyo thought quickly. "I could sing 'Gomenne' or 'Jinchouge'." She volunteered.

Sakura's eyes glittered hopefully. "You and Eriol-kun could finish the song before the Spring Concert, I know you could. And it would be so pretty and just like having Eriol-kun back in Tomoeda!"

"I'm sure your class would like that very much." Matsu-sensei agreed. 

Tomoyo gave in to the inevitable. "I will try my hardest, Sensei." Sakura cheered as Tomoyo fished the sheet music out of her bag for the teacher to inspect. Eriol's letter fluttered out with it. Sakura picked it up, her eyes flashing over it.

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

There is no 'White Day' in England. Valentines Day is a day when friends give each other cards and gifts, both the boys and the girls. And it's hard to find white anything in England in the early spring. So you will have to make due with our pitiful, homemade offerings.

Ruby Moon made the chocolate, so be careful if you eat it. Spinel made the hair-ribbons (it's amazing how well he can tat lace with his claws, really) and I wrote the song. You'll notice that, yes, it is an unfinished song and, yes, you might say 'Eriol-kun, that's not much of a White Day gift' and you'd be semi-right. I was hoping that you might find time to help me finish the song. It needs words, and I think you have them. I also think I have the song in the wrong octave for your voice. Feel free to make any corrections you like. __

Please, Tomoyo-san, the song has tormented me.

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

Sakura did a double take. "Eriol-kun sent you a White Day present?" She slid a sly look at Tomoyo, and the white ribbons in Tomoyo's hair. "Hoeeee." She giggled. "Tomoyo-chan, you didn't tell me."

"He sent it as a friend." She said calmly. "Because I sent him a 'just-friends' Valentine chocolate." She all but snatched the song away from Matsu-sensei. It was a very special song. Eriol, she knew, didn't send his music to just anybody. "I need to get home. Now." Maybe she could drown herself and spare herself some embarrassment. 

* * *

He could, he supposed, blame it on something. He could. But Eriol had the feeling that Tomoyo-san would see through whatever excuse he gave her. But he liked to needle her a little bit. Just a little. And, he thought, she enjoyed needling him back. 

__

Haikei Eriol-kun,

First, I must ask your permission to perform the song you sent me at the Spring Concert. Second I need you to finish picking with the melody as soon as possible. The Summer Concert is in less than three months. Matsu-sensei won't let me do a song I already know. She wants to 'test my limits' with a new and original song. And Sakura-chan overheard me playing part of the song before school. I don't mean to be rushed in this letter, but I've also been chosen to be the narrator and costume designer for the class musical. Remind me; why do I do these things?

And you were right, the scale on the song is too low for me. I sing a soprano, but I can do mezzo-soprano too, if it's in the higher end. I've finished the words; it's what's taken me so long to get back to you. I've also changed bits and pieces of the melody to fit my voice better.

Thank you all for the lovely White Day presents. I like the song very much, even if it wasn't finished.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san 

He looked at the score he'd sent to Tomoyo. She had marked her changes in red ink and written the words in blue. He examined the changes for a few moments. Very few people _really _pushed at Daidouji Tomoyo. It was a crying shame, really. Snickering, he reached for Ruby Moon's stationary.

"What are you doing?" Ruby Moon asked, peeking over from her desk, where she was ignoring her history essay.

"More importantly, why are you snickering?" Spinel added from the top of the bookshelf.

"Fixing the mistakes Tomoyo made." Eriol told them. He began to hum.

Kaho, who had been standing in the doorway ever since the mail was brought in, walked past him and picked up the sheet music that Tomoyo had sent. "The song looks fine." She said, putting it down again. "I think your work on it is done, really." She bent to kiss Eriol on the head. "It's a lovely song."

Eriol grinned up at her. "It's not finished yet."

* * *

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

Really, you should try to test your limits. I've moved the song down on the bridge, and up one on the first lines of the second chorus. Also, I've changed some of the words. I'm all for songs that are light-hearted and cheery, but this one calls for some more emotion than 'bouncy and cute'. I've sent the changes. It should sound great at the Summer Concert. _And you do 'these things' because you're good at them, and everybody loves for you to do them. You also do them because you really like to, despite what you say to me. You just don't like the stress that goes with them. So, since misery loves company, I'll let you in on a secret. I'll be playing this song at my End of the School Year Concert. The soprano who'll be singing it (no, not in Japanese) won't do as good a job as you will. In fact, she's a tad tone deaf. Pray for me. Keigu, Eriol-kun _ Tomoyo glanced from the letter to the sheet music that Eriol had corrected and sent back. He'd marked over her corrections in green. He'd also changed more than 'some' of the words. She contemplated the letter again. The tone of it was light-hearted and exceedingly cheerful. Her eyes narrowed. Eriol-kun was playing innocent and sweet. And while he was occasionally very sweet, he wasn't innocent by a long shot. She picked up the phone. "Sakura-chan, tell me I shouldn't do it." She instructed when Sakura answered the phone. "Tomoyo-chan?" "Tell me I shouldn't make the song sickeningly sweet and sugary." Tomoyo asked, with a smile. On the other end of the line, Sakura blinked. "Tomoyo-chan? What happened?" "Eriol-kun sent back the song. With changes. Some of them are good changes, but some he did just to see what I would do." Tomoyo explained. Sakura's smile came down the line. "I think that you should make the song as good as you can. Even if Eriol-kun makes changes. You can make changes too, right? Don't make the song bad; you have to sing it soon. And besides, Eriol-kun really loves his music. You can tell from the way it sounds." 

* * *

Kaho noticed Eriol's odd behavior. He knew she noticed and he wondered why she didn't ask about it. Normally his barely repressed excitement made her very curious. Especially since the first copy of his book had arrived the week before. True, it was a fairly dull book for anybody who didn't do magic and they'd known in advance that it was coming. He wondered, briefly, why she wasn't more interested in the fact that his excitement hadn't abated. "There's MAIL, Eriol!" Ruby Moon caroled, caroming into the library where he was having tea with Kaho. Kaho set her teacup down gently. "There was mail yesterday, too, Akizuki-san." She murmured. "You didn't come running then." "There wasn't mail yesterday." Nakuru stated; eyeing Kaho as though she'd lost most, but possibly not all, of her marbles. She looked back at Eriol, already risen and heading for the door. "I put it on your desk." She said, unnecessarily. "Thank you, Ruby Moon." He called, heading into the study. He tore into the envelope eagerly. _Haikei Eriol-kun, You've made the song too dark and gloomy. It's very depressing. Not to worry, I've fixed it, and made the first verse slower. You must remember to thank Sakura-chan next time you write to her, as she talked me out of making the song into something a diabetic couldn't stomach without serious risks. I wish you good luck in your performance. Perhaps you can find somebody to tape it. I would like to see how you play the song. Matsu-sensei has chosen Takako-san to accompany me, which was an action I protested. He is good, but I still would rather have used a tape as accompaniment. Mother is going to tape the concert again, and if you like I will send you a copy. Keigu, Tomoyo-san _ He laughed as he began to make his corrections to the music, speeding up the first verse again (though not as much as before) and changing the notes on some of the words, making some lower and some higher. He also added three lines at the end. He left most of Tomoyo's corrections alone. They made sense; he could hear the song in his head. It was turning out to be very nice. Grinning, he began to write his letter to Tomoyo. 

* * *

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

You're supposed to be stretching your limits. I've taken the liberty of fixing the tempo and I've changed some of the movement in the second verse. I think the song is just about finished.

Ruby Moon is already coming to watch me play, but I don't trust her with a video camera. Do you think Spinel could manage a camera? Or would he be too obvious? Currently I plan to have him stuffed into Ruby Moon's jacket, unless you have a better idea.

Keigu,

Eriol-kun 

Tomoyo picked up her pen and began slashing out the last chorus. She smiled as she changed the notes in the second paragraph. "You were the one who didn't want 'bouncy'." She informed the music. Sonomi stared.

"Tomoyo? Is that your song for the Summer Concert?" 

"Yes, it is. It's almost finished." Tomoyo smiled at her mother. "Eriol-kun made a few mistakes." She began to hum the newest version of the song. "I've fixed them."

* * *

Eriol was humming as he made his way back from the Post Box on the corner. It was the newest-new version of his and Tomoyo's song. He opened the front door at the same time he opened his mouth to sing. Kaho caught him in a hug before he could start.

"You were very cute, dancing your way back from the Post Box." She informed him. "What were you mailing out? More lies for Takashi-kun?" 

He grinned broadly. "Nope. Mail for Tomoyo-san." 

Kaho drew back, without letting him go. "Really? It must have been a short letter."

"She sent me a short letter." He informed her, still sparking with laughter. He fished it out of his pocket and handed it to Kaho to read.

__

Haikei Eriol-kun,

I've fixed the massacre you made of the second verse and removed the last chorus entirely. I think you were right about the end needing something more, but I'm currently at a loss as to what exactly. If I come up with something for the end, I'll be sure to let you know. Stop hurting my White Day present.

And have Spinel sit on Ruby Moon's shoulder. When Ruby Moon leans forward to 'look' through the eyepiece her hair (if she leaves it down) will hide Spinel so that he can do the actual work with the camera.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

Kaho re-read the letter. The words and the tone were at odds. "Well," She said at last. "Daidouji-chan sounds very busy." Eriol's grin became a full blown 'beam'.

"She is. Plus, we're arguing." Eriol ducked out of Kaho's arms and began to waltz his way to his music room. "Yozora ni matataku negaiboshi...me wo tojite mata ashita." he sang on his way. "Close your eyes, until tomorrow."

* * *

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

I didn't hurt your White Day present. You did, when you killed the ending chorus. Thankfully, I've found a good replacement for it. I like it. I think it brings the song full circle. I've left your other changes as they are, because they sound beautiful when I play it. And now, somewhat unhappily, I think our song is finished. 

And because Takako-san just wouldn't understand the work and heartache that went into this song, and therefore not do it proper justice, I've made you a tape. Please forgive Ruby Moon's commentary throughout. She tends to get emotional over the oddest things. __

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

Tomoyo folded the letter with a smile, closing her eyes to listen to the rich sounds of Eriol's piano as it moved into the close of the song. He was right, it was beautiful. But there was one thing that he was wrong about…

"Tomoyo-san, it's time to go to the rehearsal for the musical!" One of her bodyguards called.

"I'll be right there!" She called, grabbing her pen and a piece of paper. "I need a moment to finish this." She wrote, paused and wrote again. She grabbed an envelope and headed for the waiting car. "We'll need to stop at a Post Box on the way. This needs to go out as soon as possible."

* * *

Eriol hadn't look at the mail in quite that way since the delivery of the balloons in the winter. Touched, and sweetly vulnerable. Kaho stared at him openly, one eyebrow quirked slightly in irritation. And Ruby Moon was not helping matters by bouncing around, insisting that Eriol play the song one more time. Spinel, perched on Eriol's shoulder, was smiling at the letter and the by now multi-colored sheet music.

Eriol smiled at Kaho. "It's finished." He told her. She'd been, he thought, very disrupted by the excitement of writing the song. Especially in addition to the work he'd been putting into helping Spinel and Ruby Moon learn to use the camcorder.

"Finished? Just now?" She asked, frowning. "What other corrections could Daidouji-chan have made? It was wonderful to begin with."

Eriol rose, bringing the letter to where she stood in the door. "But it wasn't half the song that it is now." He was positively glowing with happiness. "And she didn't change anything. She added something. The title. She named the song after us."

Kaho took the paper. "She named it 'Hiiragizawa and Daidouji'?" She asked archly. Eriol winced at the sharpness of her tone. The song, _this_ song, made him sensitive. 

"No, no, Kaho. She named it 'Mata Ashita'. For us. See?" He asked, happily. Kaho merely raised both eyebrows and shook her head. "Because that's how we wrote it. Each of us waiting for the next week to see it." He smiled again. "'Until Tomorrow', you see?" He stepped back as Kaho reached to take Tomoyo's letter from his other hand. But he didn't protest as she read it, even though she'd never really seemed to want to read his letters before.

__

Haikei Eriol-kun,

The song wasn't quite finished. You forgot to give it a name. So I gave it one, which you may change if you like. I know that the song isn't really about us, but as it's our first song together, I thought that it should carry a least a small part of us in it; I named it for the way that it was written, because we had to wait for each other. __

Thank you all for the tape. You play beautifully. Ruby Moon has a perfect right to get 'all emotional'.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

Kaho left without saying anything more; Eriol thought about going after her until Ruby Moon called his attention to the piano and his promise to play the song one last time for her, before anybody else could hear it.

* * *

Eriol was, once again, bouncing with excitement. Kaho eyed him thoughtfully. "You've had mail from Daidouji-chan, have you?" She asked, walking into the study. Eriol blinked. It was becoming a rare thing for Kaho to come into the study; she said, often, that she preferred to leave him in peace with his work.

"No." His grin was blinding. "No, news from Yamazaki-kun." He positively beamed. "Wonderful news." 

"Are you going to tell us, or just hug it to yourself." Kaho smiled.

"I can't tell you. He made me promise." Eriol's smile, if anything, brightened more. "I'll tell you when everybody else finds out." 

Kaho hugged him. "Ah, then you were waiting for me to come home? Sweet, but you didn't have to wait up."

Eriol hugged her back. "I wasn't. I need to catch Tomoyo-san before she goes to school." He frowned as Kaho stepped back out of his arms. "Do you think it's too early yet?"

"You're going to tell Daidouji-chan? But not us?" She asked.

"No. Not really. Not _tell _her." He said, brows drawing together. Eyes still on Kaho, he picked up the phone and began to dial. "But I do need to talk to her. She needs to know about today."

"It's probably too early. Daidouji-chan probably gets driven to school and wouldn't be awake yet." Kaho said, turning to leave the room.

"Tomoyo-san walks to school, as long as it's not raining." Eriol muttered distractedly, now concentrating on the last few digits. "She's probably ready to leave by now, breakfast is always finished early on Monday's. She has Choir in the morning." 

"You know when breakfast is and how she goes to school?" Kaho's voice distracted him from the phone for a moment. "I suppose she knows how you spend your days as well?" Eriol nodded and covered the phone.

"There was toast on one of her letters. She apologized. As for the other: Probably. We do talk about what we do during the—Is Tomoyo-san there?" He cut himself off. Kaho left without waiting to hear more.

* * *

"Tomoyo-chan, it was so lucky that you had your camera in school today!" Sakura was nearly dancing in the streets. "I can't believe Yamazaki-kun and Chiharu-chan are engaged!" Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's hands. "The first in our class to get engaged! Han_yaan_!" 

"They're certainly the first to announce their engagement." Tomoyo agreed, turning the camera on Sakura. "Do you think you'll be next?" Sakura, predictably, blushed hard.

"Tomoyo-chaaaaan." She kept blushing. "Syaoran-kun and I haven't talked about it." Tomoyo turned the camera off.

"But he's trying to come back from Hong Kong for you, again, for good. I think it must mean something, Sakura-chan." She smiled and took pity on her friend. "And it wasn't luck that I brought my camera. Eriol-kun called me this morning and told me that, quote: You'll want to bring it. There's a surprise waiting for today." Tomoyo laughed. "I thought he was talking about the book."

"You knew about the book _too_?" Sakura stopped, astounded. "Tomoyo-chan, how often do you and Eriol-kun talk?"

"I've been helping Eriol-kun decide which stories to send to the editors. I've known about this book since before Yamazaki did." Tomoyo laughed. "And we don't talk often. Today was the first time he called me. We write a lot; once a week or more." Tomoyo stopped walking when it looked like Sakura wasn't going to join her. "Sakura-chan?"

"You write that much to each other?" Sakura asked, staring hard at her friend. Tomoyo nodded and Sakura launched herself at her, grabbing her in a hug. "Tomoyo-chan! Why didn't you tell me? I'm so happy for you!"

Tomoyo accept the hug, as she had no other choice. "Sakura-chan? Tell you what?"

"About Eriol-kun and you!" Sakura hugged her tighter. "I'm so glad that you have somebody who loves you best! And that you love him too! I kept thinking that you must be so sad, since I can't love you like you want me too and because I have Syaoran-kun. Oh, Tomoyo-chan. I'm so happy!"

Tomoyo stroked Sakura's hair in shock. "Sakura-chan? I'm going to have to shatter some of these notions." She warned gently.

* * *

"And then Tomoyo-chan writes '_In other news, Takashi-kun, in preparation for this year's festival and in memoriam of last year's, has come up with a story involving earthquakes and festivals. It includes impoverished villages, giant moles and sugar cakes. I suggest you ask him for the rest of the story._'" Ruby Moon read.

"Yeah? That's a good one." Eriol muttered, pulling at a piece of ribbon.

"It is. Maybe you can use that one." Eriol shook his head and Ruby Moon continued reading. "_'I don't think I ever properly thanked you for coming to help us last year. I think, sometimes, that you blame yourself for not showing up until after Sakura-chan sealed the Void card. But without your information, Sakura-chan could not have done her best.'_"

Eriol's head came up and he eyed his Guardian suspiciously. "She did not write that."

"She did so." Ruby Moon lifted the letter so that he could see it. "Besides, if they really _were_ mad that you didn't help more, cute little Li Xiao-Lang would have put poison in your tea at the party. Tomoyo-chan finishes it _'If you would like, I could send you the information on this year's festival. However since your first book is coming out for the public soon, we will all understand if you cannot make it. I will send you the tapes if you can't. --Keigu, Tomoyo-san.'_"

"You won't be able to make it, I don't think. The publisher wants you available for signings and a question-answer session." Mizuki informed them from the door.

"We'll have to look into the dates." Eriol muttered. "We might be able to manage it."

"Do you want me to start writing a reply to her, Eriol? Eriol, if you keep moving that way, you'll twist poor Suppi's head right off." 

"Gaaahik." Spinel agreed.

Eriol stopped moving. "I'll write to her myself, when I'm done here." 

Spinel sighed. "We won't ever be done in here. We've been stuck in this since last night."

Kaho stepped out of the way as Nakuru went for paper and a writing board. She didn't say anything. Eriol tried out his most charming smile on her.

"Eriol, don't move that arm!" Spinel wheezed as Kaho made no move to free them.

"I'm going to write first, and then you can tell me what you want to say to her." Ruby Moon announced, sitting down on the floor.

"_'Haikei, Tomoyo-chan,'_" She muttered. "_'I get to write to you because Eriol and Suppi-chan are stuck in the cat's-cradle room. They're stuck really, really good this time, too. It's been six hours! And Eriol said a whole lot of nasty words. If I could reach him, I'd have to wash his mouth out with soap.'_"

"Don't tell her that!" Eriol muttered, struggling to get out of the ribbons entangling him. "Spinel, help me."

"I can't. My claws can't reach anything."

"Spinel Sun, change to your true form and help me, damn it."

"I can't do that without your legs popping off."

"_'The cat's-cradle room is a big, empty room with only ribbons crossing all over the place. Eriol and Suppi play huge, elaborate games in here with the string. I like it because it makes pretty patterns with the colors.'_" Ruby Moon continued with relish. "_'I'm not allowed to get them down when they get stuck because Eriol really wants to beat Suppi, only he can't because Suppi is a cat and it's his game. Mizuki-sensei won't get them down because she says it's too childish that they even have this room.'_"

"Akizuki-san, Daidouji-chan doesn't need to know all this. Eriol can write to her later." Kaho reprimanded.

"Eriol likes to write to Tomoyo-chan right away." Nakuru protested, still absorbed in her task. "_'Don't worry, eventually Eriol and Suppi will get out. Even if it means Suppi is drunk and strange for days and we have to buy all new ribbons for the room. Does Touya-kun miss me a lot?'_" 

"Ruby Moon, help us!" Eriol called, now upside-down. 

"I can't help you. That's the rules. _'I don't like my school here as much as I liked school in Tomoeda. The uniforms aren't as cute and all the cute boys are too short.'_ Okay, I'm done with my part! What did you want to say?"

"Akizuki-san, really. Eriol will write later." Kaho sighed.

"Tell Tomoyo-san that I already know all about the moles and the sugar cakes and did she know that mountains were once the sites of ancient festivals that the moles had tried to get to? The top of Mount Everest is made out of sweets that the festival-patrons tried to save."

"_'…tried to save…'_is that all, Eriol?" Ruby Moon blinked as Kaho strode past her and stuffed a cookie into Spinel's mouth. 

"Tell her that I'll write more later. I might have to go to the hospital tonight."

* * *

_ Haikei Eriol-kun, _

Wonderful news! Li-kun is coming back to Tomoeda next term! Sakura-chan had a phone call from him last night and he told her that he is being allowed to finish his schooling in Japan, with us. Meiling-chan might be joining him, he said, but I don't think she will. She hasn't told him about her new boyfriend yet.

Sakura-chan said nothing about an engagement, and of course there are only a handful of us who know that Sakura-chan and Li-kun are involved, but I think that moving back to Tomoeda is a very big step, don't you agree? Sakura-chan is so excited that I don't think she even slept last night. Which made it very easy for me to extract her promise that I could tape the big reunion scene. I intend to have my camera ready on the first day of the new term, too. Would you like a copy of both tapes? I thought you might, as you had as much to do with their relationship as I did. __

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

PS. I might feel badly about telling you Sakura-chan's big news, but Sakura-chan will probably not be able to think of writing to anybody for a very long time. Have I mentioned that she's excited?

Eriol grinned broadly. "Medetashi," he murmured. He wished for a moment that Tomoyo-san were there, instead of her letter. He had the overwhelming urge to hug somebody, most especially to hug Tomoyo-san for doing so much to see his relative and his prodigy together.

"Nani?" Ruby Moon muttered crossly, bent over her books. "What's so great?" She lifted her head to blink owlishly at him. His grin was blazingly happy.

"Xiao-Lang is going to be staying in Tomoeda for the rest of his schooling." Eriol braced himself as Ruby Moon flung herself on him exuberantly. 

"Mono-SUGOI!" She shrieked, squeezing him. "He and Sakura-chan are so sweet together. And now they'll be together all the time. Oh, oh, oh, is Tomoyo-chan going to send us tapes of them being all shy and embarrased and kawaii?" 

Eriol laughed again. "So she says." He hugged her back.

"So who says what?" Kaho asked, not venturing into the room. "I thought you were working on 'Magick Discoveries of the Modern World in Archeological Finds'." She tilted her head. 

"He was." Spinel said from, coming in from the kitchen. "Until I brought him the mail."

"Word from the publisher?" Kaho asked. She looked too upset to really think it was from his publisher, Eriol thought. He knew that usually Kaho was much more excited to hear from the companies publishing his serious works. He was right in his assumption. "Or more great news from Tomoeda?"

"It IS great news!" Nakuru chirped. "Xiao-Lang is coming to be with his Sakura-chan! Forever!"

"Or at least until University." Spinel agreed, browsing over the letter on Eriol's desk. 

A soft, happy smile lit Kaho's face, changing her demeanor entirely. "Sakura-chan wrote? Why didn't I see the letter?" She beamed.

"Oh, not Sakura-san." Eriol said, holding the letter out to Kaho. "Tomoyo-san wrote." He blinked as Kaho stepped back. He looked at the letter in his hand. "She says that Sakura-san is really excited, on cloud nine." He told her, smiling, wanting her to smile again. "She didn't think Sakura-san would even think to write anybody, she's so happy."

Kaho stepped into the hallway without looking at the letter. "I'm going to write to Sakura-chan and tell her how happy I am for her. This is truly great news for her." She turned and walked away. "I'll be in the solarium, if you'd like to join me." She offered.

"Okay." He said. "I'll just write Tomoyo-san first, and then I'll join you in writing Sakura-san." Kaho didn't answer him, though he'd seen her pause while he spoke. He lowered his hand and the still-proffered letter

* * *

Glossary of sorts. Again, you should know some of these words by now.

Demo: But...  
Medetashi: A way of saying 'great!' or 'wonderful!'  
Nani: What?  
Monosugoi: Wonderful! Great! Super!  
Kawaii: Cute, sweet, precious, darling etc.  
Minna: Everyone, everybody. It's pretty multi-use.  
Oniichan/Oniisama: Big brother (Sakura uses the first, pretty informal and cute, Mirror uses the second, formal and more respectful)  
Un: Yup. A short, simple way of saying 'yes'.  
Hanyaan: It's a Sakura word like 'hoe'. This one kind of implies a 'sweeeeeeeeeet' mixed with pink, cuddly, babies and fluffy-kitty feelings.  
  



	3. The Third Year

Disclaimer: Imagine that! The disclaimer from Chapter One still applies! Wow!  
Author's Note: Rika's birthday is in July. I've made her one of the oldest kids in their class. Just so you know. ^.^ It comes in handy later on.  
Dedication: Chelle-sama, my favorite CCS authors, and the usual suspects--reviewers. But mostly it's for Chelle, Beta-Goddess. Go read her stuff. ^.^ I love the funny stuff 'Grr-roove'! Plus, 'Flow' always makes me teary-eyed. 

NOTE: Again, I don't know what's up with the text. I've e-mailed ff.net in an attempt to get it fixed. If the text is larger than normal it was supposed to be in italics. Gomennasai dulcets.

* * * (The Third Year After Leaving Tomoeda) * * *

"Tomoyo-chan? Why are you using flower shapes for Eriol-kun's chocolates?" Sakura asked, leaning over to watch Tomoyo cut shapes. "I thought you were going to make the same as last year."

"I thought I was, but when I was picking up supplies I saw these." Tomoyo said, holding up one of the chocolate molds. "And these flowers are just like the ones in Eriol-kun's garden by the pond. The part he can see from his study, anyway. The part he can't see from there has the flax and the lilies. I thought they might be nice, since his flowers won't bloom for a while yet and he loves to work in his gardens."

Sakura tilted her head and looked at the chocolates. "They're very pretty, like everything you make. Tomoyo-chan? If you're not dating Eriol-kun, how do you know what his garden looks like?"

Tomoyo laughed. "He sends me pictures in his letters." She set aside her spatula. "I'll show you. And take your chocolates out…they'll burn if you don't." Sakura grabbed an oven mitt while Tomoyo went to her room. "See?" She said, handing Sakura a sheaf of letters. "He draws in the margins."

"They're so pretty." Sakura said, tracing the flowers in the middle of the page. "He doesn't draw me pictures. Is it because I can't draw pictures back?" She wondered.

"I don't think so." Tomoyo soothed. "I don't think he even knows he's doing it. I think he does it when he's trying to think of what to say."

Sakura studied the letters. One of them had a picture of a sleeping Spinel in the corner; another had a picture of Nakuru bent over a patch of weeds with a watering can. She began to idly read the top letter, which had a half-finished sketch of Nakuru, this time bent studiously over a pile of books. 

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

I'm in a very bad mood. George is demanding huge changes and I don't agree with most of them and I don't believe that Yamazaki-san will either. And I have a headache from trying to get the Solicitors here to work with the ones in Tokyo. And Spinel has been asking for a pet. What, I want to know, would Spinel do with a pet? Ruby Moon told him that I was his pet and that irritated Kaho-san and they bickered. And I have a headache.

The only good thing today, aside from your letter, was the fact that Ruby Moon got a 'B' on her sewing project. Everybody, apparently, marveled at your 'unique' design. Points were par usual. And Spinel, thank you for teaching him to use a camera, got a picture of me in it. I believe that, despite my efforts, they've managed to send you a copy. __

Tell me that things in Tomoeda are nicer than they are here.

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

Sakura looked up. "Who is 'George' and what does 'par usual' mean?" 

Tomoyo shrugged. "George is the American publisher. Eriol-kun doesn't get along with him at all so they fight a lot over the changes." She began to giggle. "And 'par usual' means that Ruby Moon got points taken off because her dresses don't fit girls right. That," Tomoyo laughed harder, "is because she uses Eriol-kun as her model."

"She—she does? He let's her?" 

"I've sent the picture on to the publishers, or I'd let you see it."

"You've…"

"And the picture of Yamazaki-kun from when he played the Queen. That's going to be the picture on the book-jacket." Tomoyo's smile was smugly mischievous. "I'm the editor, after all."

* * *

"I can't believe she sent that picture! On the book-jacket, no less!" Kaho was livid. Eriol was unconcerned.

"I think it's funny." He volunteered. "And I did look good in the pink." He grinned broadly. "In fact, I was told that I looked 'quite fetching' in that dress."

Ruby Moon made a noise of dissent. "You looked better in the blue." She sighed. "I wish we had a picture of that one."

Kaho stood abruptly. "This is your fault, Akizuki-san." Eriol frowned at her, hard.

"Kaho. Tomoyo-san sent the pictures, not Ruby Moon." 

She whirled on him. "I know, and you've already said that you find it funny." She snapped. "It _isn't_. You have a career of serious books on the arcane. This little…_side-trip_… could ruin that for you. All because Akizuki-san thinks that putting you in a dress so she can cutely fail is fun." Ruby Moon stood and left the room without a word. It was Eriol's turn for anger.

"Kaho!" He was furious. "She's worked very hard on those dresses." He began to pace. "And this 'side-trip' was much more fun than either of the other two books I've been worked on."

"Fun isn't going to build a career." Kaho's voice was cold.

"I don't need a career, Kaho." Eriol's voice was a warning. "Thanks to Clow Reed there's more than enough money in the bank. He didn't enjoy very much of his life, I'm determined to enjoy mine."

Kaho snorted. "You could become so much more than Clow Reed, if you'd quit this childish playing around." She told him. "You know I just want what's best for you and your career in magic could be so much farther along…" She trailed off. 

Eriol stood. "I'm not interested in a career in magic. And I don't _want_ to top Clow Reed. _Clow Reed_ didn't want to be that good. He didn't even want to be what he was, in the end. That's why I'm here in the first place." He left the dining room. Kaho followed him into the hall.

"This is all to do with Daidouji's letter today, isn't it?" There was an edge to her voice that Eriol was certain he'd never heard there before.

"It's nothing to do with Tomoyo-san sending that picture to the editors." 

"No, I didn't say it was. _'Haikei Eriol-kun'_" She quoted. "_'Today there was a most amazing rainbow. Better than most others because it's been raining for two days here. It made a double arch in the sky.'_ Daidouji always talks about all the little things, doesn't she? Never mentions the big things in her life, does she?" 

Eriol folded his arms across his chest, anger in his every line. "I don't need to be told how to 'live big' Kaho." His voice was stony. "It's not like I tell her every huge detail of my life. Like the bottom line in my bank book." He winced as he said it, knowing it was a low blow but unable to stop himself from saying it. 

Kaho flinched. "No. It's not about living big or even about the big events. It's the small things. You share all the careless bits of your day with her. You hoard them for her." She stalked off and Eriol headed for his study, rubbing his temples in tired defeat.

* * *

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

Again I come to you in a bad mood. Kaho-san and I've been fighting just now. I think I came in here to cool down, but I guess I'd rather talk things out with you. Sometimes it feels like Kaho-san hates the way we live; lately she's been very cold about what I've been working on. She doesn't want to hear the song we're working on, and even though she says she misses Tomoeda very much she never wants to talk about your letters, even though I've told her that you tell me all about what's happening there, and she keeps harping on Ruby Moon.

I know that Ruby Moon can be very excitable and sometimes it's a bit of a pain, but most of the time it's just so much fun to watch her marvel at the world. Some days, when Ruby Moon looks out at the world…she reminds me of you. But Kaho-san, I don't think she really understands that Nakuru and Ruby Moon are the same person. I get the feeling that Kaho-san thinks that if Ruby Moon didn't have a false form, or didn't spend so much time in it, that she would act differently. Oh, Tomoyo-san, we quarreled hard tonight. She was angry that Ruby Moon used me as her dress model and that the picture got sent to the publisher (which I approve of, anyway, since I don't want to have to sit for some stuffy _picture that will make us seem old. Yamazaki-kun and I are young and the book is all about funny things) and I just don't understand why she's acting this way recently. It's like she isn't willing to bend at all or to let up. I think Kaho is just trying to deal with the fact that I'm different than she thought I was. She keeps bringing up a career in magic, because I was using so much magic when we first met that it must have seemed like a logical conclusion that I would be a Magician like Clow Reed. _

You know that I don't want that. I want to be…something else. Something Clow wasn't. I just wish I could find a way to make Kaho-san see what I want.

Oh, I'm so depressing lately, aren't I? Why do you hang around with me, Tomoyo-san, when all I do is whine? __

Keigu,  
Eriol-kun

PS. This isn't a hint for you to stop writing, mind.

Tomoyo folded the letter and began to pace her bedroom. She had a fair idea of what was bothering Mizuki Kaho. But she really didn't want to say, because if he knew that Kaho's problem was Tomoyo, Eriol might stop writing. And Tomoyo cherished him as a friend. She was able to tell him everything, with only one small exception; even things she couldn't really share with Sakura she could tell to him. 

As if hearing her thoughts, the phone rang with Sakura at the other end, wanting to go to Café Piffle Princess for tea and cake. Occasionally Tomoyo was forced to wonder how much of the future and her friends Sakura-chan could see.

"Tomoyo-chan! I feel like we never get to talk. I'm so glad you could come have tea with me!" Sakura trilled, hugging Tomoyo. Tomoyo squeezed her briefly before sitting down.

"I've been very busy with Rika-san's wedding dress. And Chiharu-san wants me to design hers too." Tomoyo smiled, it was an honor and a thrill to be asked to do the designs. 

"I can hardly believe Rika-chan is going to marry Terada-sensei!" Sakura said, shaking her head. "I wonder how long that's been going on and nobody noticed." 

Tomoyo hid her smile in her teacup. "I have no idea." She murmured.

"She must have had so many problems trying to hide it…no wonder she was so mature and understanding all the time." Sakura sighed. "It's so romantic." Tomoyo nodded absently in agreement. Sakura noticed. "Tomoyo-chan? Is something wrong?"

"Eriol-kun…" She shook her head. "He and Mizuki-sensei had a fight last time he wrote to me."

Sakura nodded. "But what else is bothering you? It's something more than that. Kaho-sensei told me that sometimes she and Eriol-kun fight a lot."

"They do." Tomoyo agreed. "Eriol-kun…he doesn't know why they fight so much. And I…think I might know why. But it's nothing he can change." Not, she thought, unless he could change a person's heart.

"It's something they can't fix?" Sakura asked, her eyes intent on Tomoyo. "So you didn't tell him what it was, so he wouldn't feel bad."

"Feelings might be hurt, yes." Tomoyo equivocated. "He hasn't asked me what I think is wrong, so I haven't told him what I think it is, but…he's so…confused."

Sakura nodded her eyes still laser-like in intensity. "Then don't tell him unless he asks you straight out about it." She cocked her head slightly. "If somebody was going to get hurt, then it's okay to not say right away." She added, her eyes boring into Tomoyo's. And Tomoyo wondered if Sakura was saying more than what she had actually said.

"That's good advice, Sakura-chan. Arigatou."

Sakura smiled brightly. "Ne, did I tell you that Syaoran-kun sings? Wasn't Matsu-sensei wanting you to sing with somebody at the Concert this year?" 

* * *

"Kaho, the dandelions are barely even up…let's not fight about them." Eriol rubbed his hands over his face. "Let's sit in the East gardens for tea. You won't even have to see them then."

Mizuki Kaho frowned. "I don't want to fight about the weeds, Eriol. If they weren't there, we wouldn't even be discussing them." 

"They're Ruby Moon's garden, Kaho. She's had them since I planted my first beds here." Eriol gestured to the oldest part of the gardens. "She just wants to share my hobby."

"Which I can understand, really." Kaho, he reflected suddenly, was most vehement about Nakuru's garden this year. "But why can't she work with you in your garden? Why must she keep a weed patch on the lawn? One, I might add," her voice dropped several degrees, "that is visible from the gates and the West garden?" 

"She's horrid at gardening." Eriol sighed in a voice that attested to how many times, exactly, they'd gone over this information. "The dandelions, at least, don't die when she fusses with them. And she did agree to stop tending them while in her true form." 

"Again, I understand…but really, even Spinel is getting too lenient with Akizuki-san. He was tearing the grass out in clumps. It looked horrible."

Eriol chuckled suddenly. "He was weeding." He smiled brightly at the naked-save-the-weeds-area of the lawns. "Do you know, he's made a little picket fence to go around it. It's going to be Ruby Moon's White Day present." 

"Oh?" Kaho's tone was dangerous and Eriol regretted mentioning it at all. He rather thought that the idea of a miniature fence was charming. 

"Kaho, please," he begged, even though he felt it was useless. "Just let it be this year." Inspiration struck. "Sakura-san thought that it was nice that Ruby Moon had a garden. She said that a garden of weed-flowers was funny."

He didn't get the reaction he was hoping for. "Sakura-chan? And how did Sakura-chan hear about this?"

"Tomoyo-san asked me about it. She said that I put a picture in the empty space on the bottom of the new music I sent to her." Eriol paused, looking thoughtful. "I don't remember doing that, but she says I do it all the time. She certainly knew about Ruby Moon's garden, anyway."

Kaho pursed her lips in a thin line but didn't manage to say anything before the subject of their discussion came bursting into the gardens by way of jumping the gate. "MAIL!" She bowed deeply before handing Eriol his letter. "Oh! I almost forgot!" Nakuru turned a tentative smile at Kaho. "The jeweler called this morning and said your pearls were ready. I picked them up on my way home." Still holding the fragile smile, she pulled a pristine jewelry case out of her bag. "I cushioned it with my Sewing Class project so it wouldn't get hurt." She said.

"Thank you, Akizuki-san." Kaho murmured, looking slightly surprised. "You didn't have to go through that trouble."

"It wasn't trouble." Ruby Moon beamed. "La, I have to go do my homework. I've an essay due tomorrow on the War of the Roses." She pouted suddenly. "Roses don't fight." Eriol smiled watching his guardian vault the gate again. Perhaps this gesture would make Kaho and Ruby Moon's relationship less of a battleground. He tore the edge of the envelope.

"You're going to read that now? Out here?" Kaho asked suddenly. Eriol glanced across the table at her.

"I thought I might." He frowned at the look on her face. "I like to read in the gardens." His pulled out not one, but five pieces of paper and beamed. "She sent her designs!"

Kaho rubbed tiredly at her temples. "What designs, Eriol?" 

"For Rika-san's wedding gown." He pushed the art pages towards her. "Here, I'll read you a bit about it." He said.

Haikei Eriol-kun, 

"That's me." He grinned irreverently. Kaho sighed.

This is it, the final design for Rika-san's dress. It's so hard to believe that she'll be married this summer. My mother is having a bit of a time dealing with this news; I think it's because it reminds her of when Nadeshiko-san and Kinomoto-sensei got married. Because it makes her unhappy to see me working on the dress, I mostly do it when she isn't home. I think that I'll spend a lot of late nights working to get it ready on time. __

I've also chosen the fabrics to use, mostly silk and lace. Is there anything else more appropriate for a wedding gown? Chiharu-chan has asked me to design her dress too. It's wonderful! You may tell Ruby Moon, by the way, that I'm planning to make her a pair of gardening gloves with the leftover material."

"Silk and lace gloves…" Eriol laughed. "Ruby Moon will love that, don't you think?"

Kaho stood abruptly. "I'm going inside. The lavender is giving me a headache." Eriol watched her go, then looked at the plants in question. They hadn't even budded yet. Still thinking on it, he turned back to the letter and was glad that Kaho had left before he could read the next lines to her.

__

As for your fight with Mizuki-sensei, it's not your fault. Everybody fights sometime. And I don't believe that it was anything you said or did that made her upset. I think that something else is bothering her. 

Keigu, __

Tomoyo-san

Eriol closed the letter and looked thoughtfully over the gardens.

* * *

"No, Li-kun, I've told you before, we're not making your part smaller." Tomoyo patted Syaoran's head affectionately. "Besides, you have a nice voice. I'm sure Sakura-chan wants to hear you sing. Especially since she's the person who told Matsu-sensei what talent you have." He glowered at her for playing her trump card as Sakura nodded enthusiastically.

"I want to hear you sing Tomoyo-chan's and Eriol-kun's song. You sing wonderfully, Syaoran-kun!" She chirped. "I liked hearing you sing the song that you sang back home." Sakura giggled. "That was too many sing-songs in one sentence." 

"And you keep saying more." Syaoran teased gently. Inside, Tomoyo sighed. They were so sweet, Sakura-chan and her Syaoran-kun, she wished she had her camera. He scowled suddenly, ruining the effect. "I still want my part smaller."

"It's a duet, Syaoran-kun, we each have to sing." Tomoyo smiled. "And Eriol-kun is backing me up on this one. It took us three months to get this song just right. And almost two more to turn it into a duet." Sakura smiled hopefully up at her beloved and he melted. It was too good to waste. "I'm going to get my camera. We can tape our practice to see where we need work." It was a white lie, and besides, seeing Sakura-chan's face while she watched him sing might make Syaoran stop whining.

Syaoran paced the Daidouji music room, bored and scared stiff of singing at the Spring Festival. He grabbed his sheet music, determined not to make a fool of himself singing. And found himself blinking at a letter from Hiiragizawa. He'd picked up Tomoyo's music, and letter, by mistake. He wondered, vaguely, if Tomoyo-san had been a victim of Hiiragizawa trying out his stories.

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

Tell my cute little relative to stop griping or next year he'll sing a solo. 'Scarlet' is perfect the way it is and nobody is to hurt your birthday present but you. Yes, yes, I know you're thinking 'and you, Eriol-kun,' but since I categorically deny such a thing, let's make it a non-issue.

I've read the book you suggested, by the way, on Canadian Impressionism. The book had some truly spectacular pictures in it. But I disagree with you; my half-finished doodle of the orchard looks nothing like the paintings in the book. Not that I admit to drawing in the letters I send you. I think that you're psychic and you're just making up the pictures-in-the-margins to hide your power. 

Speaking of changing the subject, Ruby Moon (who is breathing down my neck) wants to know if you enjoyed the White-Day chocolates and is insisting that Spinel is dying to know if you've read the book that he sent. I simply won't ask if you like the song I sent. You always insist that the songs I send you need fixing. If you keep insisting that I only send you half-done songs for White Day then maybe next year I won't send you any. __

Ruby Moon is calling me a liar. So is Spinel. I have to finish editing chapter six before I start calling myself a liar too.

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

PS. The picture is Ruby Moon's Garden. Spinel made the fence and took the picture. Have I thanked you for teaching him to work a camera? 

Syaoran shook his head and re-read the letter again. And a third time.

"Anou, Syaoran-kun? Is something wrong with your music?" Sakura's voice broke his haze.

"When did Tomoyo-san and Hiiragizawa-kun start dating?" He wanted to know, passing her the letter. Sakura glanced at it, tilted her head and stared at it and then put it down.

"They're not, Tomoyo-chan says." Sakura announced. She sounded like she didn't believe it.

* * *

__

Haikei Eriol-kun,

Today I was sketching in the park and I saw a young family walk by; a mother, a father and a little girl, only just walking. The mother and the father were looking at each other as if they were the only two people in the world and they were so proud of their daughter. She clapped her hands over the flowers blooming and chased after a bee, from which her father had to rescue her before she ate it. They seemed very happy. No, they were very happy. And they made me feel very sad.

I don't think that I'll ever have that. I want to have a family like the one I saw today, but I can't ever have to one I love. I knew that I would never have that with Sakura-chan, because I knew that she would not love me the way that I wanted her to. The most I will have is a walk in the park with Sakura-chan and her daughter and Li-kun. And they will look at each other as though there is nobody else in the entire world. Once, I told Sakura that as long as the person you love is happy, then you can be happy too, and it is true. But I didn't tell her that it is a very lonely happiness. Sometimes, Eriol-kun, it feels like you're my only friend in the entire world. There is so much that I can't share with Sakura-chan that Li-kun can. I do what I can when Sakura is faced with challenges, but it doesn't feel like enough. And Naoko-chan and Chiharu-chan and Rika-chan do not know about the Clow Cards or the Sakura Cards. For some reason, though, I feel like I can say anything to you and you will understand me when nobody else does or when nobody else really cares. 

Jaa, I guess it's my turn to be depressing today, and I shouldn't be. It's lovely outside. The first of the flowers of the summer are beginning to show. And I did a very good sketch of the family that made me so sad. You may have it, for listening to me ramble on about such sad thoughts.

Keigu, __

Tomoyo-san

PS. When I'm not being so depressed I can tell you that the tape enclosed is from the Spring Concert. Takako-san still doesn't play the piano as well as you, but I thought that you would appreciate seeing our new song at its first public performance. 

Eriol sat in the TV room with the letter open on his lap. It was odd for him to read Tomoyo-san's letters anywhere but his study, but he'd known what was on the tape the moment he'd held it in his hands. And he'd wanted to watch while he read. The walk back to his study irritated him.

Haikei Tomoyo-san 

He managed before a hand sliding over his shoulder interrupted him, the hand began moving down his chest. 

"Eriol, write later." Kaho murmured, dropping a kiss on his cheek.

"I can't. Tomoyo-san is upset, lonely." He told her, kissing her briefly. "I'll be up in a little while, okay?"

"Daidouji-chan won't notice the wait, I promise." She giggled softly. "You can write her in the morning. Come upstairs "

"In just a bit, Kaho. Please," he gave her his most charming smile. "This won't take long. Alright?" He kissed her fingers as he removed her arms from around him. She left the study without a backward glance. He turned back to his paper. "Poor Tomoyo-san." He murmured. "Like Sakura-san, you're best with a smile."

* * * 

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

I don't mind listening to you 'ramble'. Isn't that what friends are for? I understand such sadness very well. For most of his life, Clow Reed was separate from others by his skills and his knowledge. As was I, in the beginning of my life. It is very hard to make friends and finger-paint when you have memories such as I had filling your head. As for the family? One day you might have such a family, Daidouji-san, even without Sakura-san. You were kind enough, loving enough, to help Syaoran-kun and Sakura-san to find each other; believing that all you needed to be happy was to have the one you love be happy. You gave Sakura-san and Syaoran-kun a chance to be that family in the park, and I know that they would both want the same for you. They, and I, would want you to have your own happiness. So I have this advice for you: Just as it is possible to be happy when the one you love is happy, so is it possible to love more than one person in a lifetime. When the Fortune-Teller Madoushi was lost to Clow, he felt as though his heart was gone as well. Many years later, not too long before he died, he found love again. Only he was too afraid to risk taking the love that was offered. He died alone, save his creations and his hopes for the future. I would not have you be so sad. 

Also, I am not your only friend, even if I am one of the few who know the whole truth. How many times has Daidouji-san been asked to make costumes for plays and festivals? And how many have I heard that Daidouji-san must be invited to go to the café or over to study? The days you were late for lunch break or late after school it was always 'Where is Tomoyo-chan?' that I heard. They all care for you very much, but I think it is hard for them to show it because you are such a private person. So, you have lots of friends even if you can't tell them everything. I am glad, though, that I am a special friend to Daidouji Tomoyo-san.

Are the sakura trees in bloom? I suppose they must have already bloomed, as my garden is just beginning its first flowers. Spring arrived late this year. I have cheated a little, just for you, on some of my flowerbeds. I like to do my research in the west gardens in the summer when the weather is nice. These are the scents that surround me, mostly hyacinth, roses, and jasmine, but I planted lavender, cinnamon, narcissus and vanilla a few years ago, and sometimes, when the wind is right, the scent of the pear blossoms from the orchard; they bring me a great deal of comfort. I hope that you like them as well and that they comfort you as they do me. __

Be happy, Tomoyo-san.

Your friend,

Eriol-kun

PS. Ruby Moon made the design on the chest using poor Spinel's claws. It took two hours to get them both to stop bleeding and another thirty minutes for myself. Do tell us how well you loved the potpourri box.

"What was in your package, Tomoyo-sama?" Sakimi-san, one of Tomoyo's three personal bodyguards, asked as Tomoyo lifted out a carved wooden chest. "A jewelry box? It's very pretty."

"No, it's a potpourri, from Hiiragizawa Eriol-kun's gardens in England." She opened the lid and smiled softly as a sweet, misty scent wafted out. "It's very pretty." She closed the box gently, fingers absently tracing the design on the top. "I'm going to put this in my room. I'll be up there until dinner." 

Sakimi's eyes narrowed as soon as Tomoyo was out of the room. "Toshi-san," she murmured. "Did you see that?"

Toshi smiled down into her magazine. "The gift? Or the way Young Lady Daidouji went all soft around the edges when she opened it?"

"She got all soft around the edges _before_ she opened it." Kinuye corrected. "The moment she saw the striped envelope."

"It isn't even really polite to speculate on her face as she read the letter, is it?" Sakimi shook her head. "I think that, perhaps, it is time to talk to Lady Daidouji about her daughter and this 'friend'."

Tomoyo was in the midst of writing a reply, in which she praised the box effusively, when her mother knocked on her door and entered. Her mother smiled a bit nervously as she sat down next to her on the bed.

"Kinuye and the others sent me a fax of the letter you received today." She said without preamble. She held up one hand, forestalling Tomoyo's questions and outrage. "I don't know how they got their hands on it. They were worried." Sonomi stroked a hand over Tomoyo's hair gently. "For three years you have been writing to this boy, every week. Every week he writes back. So, they were concerned."

"Did, did you read the letter?" Tomoyo thought frantically, trying to remember if he'd mentioned magic or the Cards.

"I did." Sonomi admitted. "And I want to tell you that your friend is right. And very wise. It is possible to love more than once in a lifetime." She sighed. "When Nadeshiko married Kinomoto-sensei, I thought that I would never love again. So I married your father. And then you were born and I knew that it was possible to love again. Sometimes," She continued, "Sometimes I think that I drove you to loving Sakura-chan with all my stories about Nadeshiko. I used to think that you were trying to be Nadeshiko for me, or trying to make things turn out right for me and Nadeshiko, through yourself and Sakura-chan."

"No!" Tomoyo whispered, aghast. "No, I loved Sakura-chan because she was Sakura-chan…not for any other reason!" Sonomi smiled, stroking her daughter's hair again.

"Then you loved wisely. And far better than I did. I saw you with Li Syaoran, when he was with Sakura-chan. I saw how you helped him find his feelings and his courage, even though it meant that Sakura-chan would never love you the same way that you loved her." She kissed Tomoyo on the forehead. "Such a wise, good, girl, my Tomoyo." She sat back and smiled. "But, I think that you no longer love Sakura-chan as more than a friend? You have somebody else, maybe?" 

Tomoyo blushed and shook her head slightly.

"That's alright. It's possible to love…after all. A smart boy, your friend Eriol. And," Sonomi stood, "in the spirit of his wisdom, I have a date that I have to prepare for. Tonight." 

Tomoyo blinked rapidly. "Wait! Who is he? What do you know about this man? Where is he taking you?"

Her mother winked. "Somebody I once knew. A lot. And nowhere. I'm taking him out." Her mother's grin was impish as she left the room.

* * *

He was, perhaps, in a large amount of trouble. Eriol considered the envelope in front of him. Perhaps a _rather_ large amount of trouble, he corrected. The envelope, lying side by side with an envelope of pale blue, carried the Daidouji Toys logo and the name of Daidouji Sonomi. Tomoyo had not mentioned, in her letter, that her mother would also be writing to him. An oversight he didn't think Tomoyo would make. So.

"Would you like me to open it for you, Eriol?" Ruby Moon offered from her desk. "You've been starting at it ever since I started my Literature homework." She checked her watch. "Twenty minutes ago. Twenty-one."

He grimaced and glanced out the window. "No."

In a semi-rare moment of complete understanding and total sympathy, Ruby Moon gathered her books together. "I'll finish later." And she left.

Eriol tore into his letter.

__

Haikei Hiiragizawa Eriol,

I'm Daidouji Sonomi, Tomoyo-chan's mother. My daughter's bodyguards have become somewhat concerned by the frequency of your letters to Tomoyo-chan over the past three years, as well as other factors. I have read your most recent letter and have determined that there is no concern.

The reason I'm writing is to say thank you for being such a good friend to Tomoyo-chan. As I'm sure you're aware I am very busy running the company and am not always available to talk. There are some things that I know Tomoyo-chan would not come to me with even if I was available. So, I am glad that she has such a mature, kind friend to be there for her and care for her. 

Finally, I thank you for your wise words on love. You are a truly good young man. Much like somebody I once knew. I would be pleased to meet you one day. __

Keigu,

Daidouji Sonomi

PS. I would be in your debt if you did not mention this letter to Tomoyo-chan, she might know that I read your letter but I don't believe she would be pleased to know that I wrote to you.

Eriol leaned back in his chair and let out the breath he'd been holding in a huff. Well. That was…enlightening. He snorted suddenly. It was certainly something. Spinel floated into the room

"Ruby Moon said that you were having an 'attack'." He told him, matter-of-factly.

Eriol thought about this. "I might well have." He pushed the letter across his desk. "What do you think of that?"

Spinel read. "I think that Mother approves of you as a suitor." He stated.

"Of course she does! Eriol is cute, and can cook and he sews!" Ruby Moon, having changed clothes, twirled in and about, showing off the dress that Eriol had finished for her just that morning. "He's polite and funny and charming and smart and he can do magic_ and _he knows that red-red rose poem!" She beamed. "Who wouldn't love to marry him!"

"Who's getting married now?" Kaho leaned in the door of the study. She didn't enter, she very rarely did. She rubbed tiredly at her temple. 

"Eriol is! I get to be a bridesmaid!" Nakuru revolved in a slow circle. "Tomoyo-chan makes such cu-uuuuuute dresses."

Kaho raised an eyebrow mutely.

"I'm not getting married." Eriol told her.

"Sure you are!" 

Spinel smiled sardonically. "Of course he is. Daidouji-sama approved of him herself." Eriol glared at his creations. Since when had Spinel decided he needed to be tormented?

"Nobody's getting married." Eriol told her. "They're teasing me about Daidouji-sama's letter." He glanced down at his letters, than back at Kaho. "You look tired. Why don't you go to bed?"

He couldn't read her gaze. "Are you coming up?"

"Not now. I want to write Tomoyo-san first. Her mother too. Spinel, we'll need to go to the Stationary store tomorrow. I can't see writing to the President and CEO of Daidouji Toys with…" he blinked. "When did we switch to Hello Kitty? With matching envelopes?!"

"Last week. I don't like it much. There's not enough Badtz-Maru. Badtz-Maru reminds me of To-ya kun!" Ruby Moon frowned. "I'll get more Sailor Senshi tomorrow. Write that down, would you please, Suppi?"

"Your flight just got in an hour ago. You must be tired. Why don't you come up to bed?" Kaho entreated.

"I slept on the plane. These letters have been here for a few days." He smiled, "Tomoyo-san probably thinks I fell off the face of the planet. I didn't tell her I was meeting with the American publishers. Remind me to see my solicitor again tomorrow, Spinel. And Yamazaki-kun's too."

"I'm not an appointment book." Spinel sighed, writing.

Kaho nodded. "I see. Well. Goodnight then."

Eriol watched after her for a few moments. He felt vaguely unsettled by her behavior. He shrugged it off and drafted a quick reply to Tomoyo's mother, making a quick note to send it to her office address.

__

Haikei Daidouji-sama,

I have been, and remain, honored, proud, and humbled to be friends with a wonderful person like your daughter. Tomoyo-san is my best friend. I won't tell her that you wrote to me. 

I would be honored to meet you as well, next time I'm in Tomoeda.

Keigu,

Hiiragizawa Eriol

He made a note on the bottom to re-copy it onto formal stationary before turning his attention back to Tomoyo's letter.

* * *

Haikei Tomoyo-san, 

Tomoyo read aloud as the others prepared.

__

I'm hoping that this letter reaches you before Rika-san gets married. It contains not only a gift but also my good wishes for her and Terada-sensei's happiness and future. It takes a lot of hard work and true love to make an 'unconventional' relationship work and I can think of nobody more capable of such a task than she and Terada-sensei. I only wish that I were able to attend. If it weren't for the not-fit-for-polite-company's-ears American publishers, I would be there myself.

Speaking of, I know that you're one of the bridesmaids and that Rika-san and Terada-sensei have hired a videographer, but do you think you might be able to find a copy of the ceremony for me? Or at least tape some of the reception? I'd very much like to share as much of the day with everybody as I could.

I'll keep this letter short, I know that you've probably got a million things left to do to get ready.

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

PS. On the wedding day, do you think you could tell Rika-san that I wish her a happy birthday as well? 

Tomoyo looked up from reading to see Rika, Naoko, Chiharu and Sakura in various stages of weeping. "That's so very sweet of him." Rika managed around her tears. "I'll make sure you get a copy of the wedding to send to him." She dabbed at her eyes. Her mother bustled over.

"Rika, don't cry…you'll ruin your makeup." Rika's mother wiped her daughter's face carefully, ignoring her own streaming eyes. "Oh, my little girl…my sweet baby." She sighed. It set off more tears.

Chiharu blinked rapidly. "Will it be like this at my wedding?" She asked. "With all the…emotions…and my mom. Oh, and my brothers!" She reached up to wipe her cheeks.

Sakura simply sobbed openly. Tomoyo decided, despite her own misty eyes, that it was time to get matters back under control. "I wonder what Eriol-kun sent as a gift." She said, just loud enough for everybody to hear.

"Does the letter say?" Sakura hiccuped.

"Hmmm." Tomoyo pretended to read it again. "Lace underpants." She declared and watched as everybody stopped dead. She giggled. "No, it doesn't say that. I don't know what he sent. I left his gift in the reception hall with the others."

Naoko giggled. "_That's_ what your wedding will be like, Chiharu-chan. Beautiful moments and the occasional big lie." Everybody laughed.

Tomoyo smiled as Sakura and Naoko began helping Rika into her dress. She settled herself on one of the chairs in the bride's room and got a piece of paper and a writing board out of her bag.

__

Haikei Eriol-kun,

The wedding hasn't started yet, but already there has been an overflow of emotion. Everybody here in the Bride's Room thought that you were incredibly sweet when I read your letter to them. Chiharu-chan keeps asking if her wedding day will be like this, and she looks half-hopeful and half-terrified. I guess that even though she's been with Yamazaki-kun forever getting married is still a very big step. Sakura-chan is, I think, trying not to think of when she and Li-kun will get married. Or even if he'll propose. I wonder if I can get that moment on tape, considering that I've missed all their other big moments. As for myself, I hope that one day I'll have a wedding like this. Or maybe I'll run away to elope in America. I heard about a place there…Las Vegas?…where most of the town is five-minute wedding chapels and places to gamble.

Everybody wishes that you were here with us today. 

"Tomoyo-chan, it's time to get ready to go out." Naoko said suddenly. Tomoyo nodded.

It's time to go out now. Wish us all luck. The next thing I write will be after the wedding is over. 

"Tomoyo-chan, are you ready?" Sakura asked softly. Tomoyo set the letter aside with a small sigh.

"I am." She smiled brilliantly. "Let's go."

Sakura studied the half-finished letter with a bemused look. "Alright, Tomoyo-chan." She said, taking her hand, only glancing back at the letter once. 

* * *

Glossary of sorts: C'mon people...you should know some of this...^.^

Ne (also 'nee'): Hey  
Anou: Say..._also_-- Ummm, well, err,   
Jaa: Well, well then  


^.^ THIS is the chapter that prompted Chelle-sama's hilarious 'Something' trilogy. Especially 'Something to Ask You'. Go read and review. Go, go on now. Tell her Circe-sama sent you. ^.~ The bit about Badtz-Maru I owe to Suppi-chan's 'Ice Breaker'. The 'Red-red rose poem' belongs to Robert Burns. 


	4. The Fourth Year

Go to Chapter one for all the DISCLAIMER fun!  
Author's Note: Yep, there's a sequel. It's 'Kitaku', which you might have heard me whining about. It's big. I'm working on it. It's almost done. This fic and that one have taken over seven months of work. I've loved almost all of it. BUT...it will be a bit of time before Kitaku is done. Check the end of the story for links to more ExT loveliness.  
Dedicated: To Chelle-sama, for beta and laughs.

* * * (The Fourth Year After Leaving Tomoeda) * * *

"Thank you for inviting me over to make Valentines chocolates, Sonomi-obasan." Sakura greeted as she stepped into the door of the Daidouji mansion.

"I'm very glad you could come, Sakura-chan." Sonomi smiled. "Tomoyo and I have a lot of chocolates to make, and it's much more fun to do this with friends."

"You're going to make chocolates, too? For who?" Sakura was mystified. 

"Oh, you know, grandfather." Sonomi said airily.

"Her boyfriend." Tomoyo added, grinning down into her mixing bowl. "Come and get an apron, Sakura-chan." She padded her way back to the kitchen. "Mother has been dating and she wants to make her boyfriend chocolates."

"So that's why we're here and not at my house!" Sakura chirped. "Because Daddy is at my house and he would probably tease you about a boyfriend." She shook her head. "Daddy is weird sometimes."

"Oh, he'd probably say something. Men are funny creatures." Sonomi agreed, coloring slightly. "Tomoyo is also making chocolates for her boyfriend." She stated amicably. Tomoyo whirled on her.

"Mother! I am making chocolates for Eriol-kun and Ruby Moon. I'm sending a gift to Spinel as well. Cheese and crackers." She added, before Sakura could ask. Tomoyo turned back to her mixing bowl, cheeks scarlet. "Besides, Valentines Day is different in England. It's a time for friends."

Sakura blinked at the exchange. "Mou, it's still strange to know that you know about the Cards and the Guardians." She said to Sonomi, apparently willing to ignore the Eriol-issue. "I can't believe you found Tomoyo-chan's tapes." She beamed, "It's nice having somebody else know the secret." Sonomi made a noncommittal sound but said no more as a flare of pinkish light erupted from Sakura's handbag.

"Daidouji-sama," Mirror said, "please may I be allowed to make chocolates with you today?" She bowed slightly. Sonomi stared openly, having never met one of the cards before.

"It wouldn't be the same without you, Mirror-san." Tomoyo smiled. "If you would take a form, I'll get you an apron." She towed her mother toward the closet. "That is Mirror-san." She whispered. "She's one of the Sakura Cards. Every year she makes an angel chocolate for Touya-san." She opened the closet door. "Be glad it isn't Kero-chan. He'd eat all the candies as soon as we finished. Mirror-san is very nice. She's helped Sakura a lot, before her family knew about the Cards." Tomoyo grabbed the blue apron from its hook. "She's probably going to take Sakura-chan's form. It's what she normally does. Okay?"

Sonomi shook herself. "Alright." She said brightly to her daughter and the two Sakura's in her kitchen. "Let's get to work on our Valentines."

* * *

__

Haikei Eriol-kun,

Happy birthday! I suppose it should be 'Eriol-san' now shouldn't it? Enclosed is your present from Ruby Moon and Spinel, and me. There are two versions, the second was Ruby Moon's idea, but most of the words are from Spinel.

Otanjoubiomedetougozaimasu, nakayoshi.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

Eriol set aside the letter and lifted out a videocassette. Ruby Moon, he noted, bounced with glee.

"Tomoyo-chan finished it!" She ran for the TV room. "Come on! SUPPI! Tomoyo-chan finished the video in time! It's HERE!" She shrieked.

Spinel opened the door just in time to prevent Ruby Moon from slamming into it. "I know. I've gotten everything ready."

"It was Suppi's idea and then I taped you in secret and I think Tomoyo-chan's mom taped her, not in secret, and Tomoyo-chan did the editing on her computer. And she came up with the words because she said that's what you looked like you were thinking about and that's what the music made her think of and she even said that you write beautiful music and last time was…"

"Ruby Moon, try to breathe. Can I at least see what's on the tape before you tell me the entire history behind it?"

"A good idea, Akizuki-san. Let's see what the three of you have given Eriol for his birthday." Kaho set a pillow in her lap and if she crushed it to her chest a little harder than normal, nobody noticed. "I do wonder that nobody let me in on the surprise…I might have been able to help."

Ruby Moon grabbed Eriol in a hug suddenly as the video started. "I hope you love it. We worked really hard and thought for a long time about what to get for you. We wanted you to like it. Sixteen is special."

Eriol patted her back. "I'm sure I'll lo…" He trailed off as a swell of music filled the room and an image filled the screen. He was seated at the piano, playing a song he'd been tinkering with for months. He'd been thinking of getting Tomoyo's help with the words…but he didn't need to now. Tomoyo, through the magic of digital editing, had appeared to stand in the curve of the piano. A place she had stood in the few times that they had performed together. She smiled in his direction and he smiled down at the keys. She turned to smile into the screen, at him, and began to sing.

_Even a small butterfly  
can cross an ocean.  
"Someday, for sure," is all I can tell you,   
but that is so frustrating to me._

_It's OK to believe; a rainbow is coming  
to the tips of your toes.  
It's OK to believe; your time will come  
soon, in the middle of  
a new breeze._

Eriol closed his eyes to mere slits, turning his head slightly to listen. 'Like this' he thought to himself, 'like this and it's like watching in the mirror at the other end of the music room. We could be practicing together...' Kaho nudged him and nodded to the screen.

_So yes, your dreams are definitely coming.  
Spread your arms open wide.  
Without a doubt, your tears know that;  
they came from tomorrow  
to tell you._

He watched Tomoyo's face, serene as she sang. He squinted again, imagining, as she moved into the last lines.

_It's OK to believe; your dreams are coming  
Just for you.  
It's OK to cry; any kind of sadness  
will turn into wings  
for your heart._

The notes died away and Eriol found himself watching the picture change with blurry eyes. Tomoyo standing in her living room replaced his music room. "And now," She said, "a very special Ruby Moon and Spinel version of the song." The image shifted back into his piano room and this was one of the experimental versions, much faster and with a different tone. Tomoyo began to sing again.

"_I _want a pony and I want cake…jeez, hurry up—how long can it take? It's my birthday and I want it now. Candies and presents, pretty new clothes. I want everything. I want it all. It's MY birthday, time to do what I want…It's my BIRTHDAY and what I say GOES! Where's my new car and fancy new boat? Where's my castle and its doublewide moat? TODAY is my BIRTHDAY! Mine, all mine! Today is my birthday if you don't like it…FINE!"

And he began to laugh.

* * *

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

It's nothing compared to the birthday gift that you gave me, but I'm sending it anyway as a most inadequate 'thank you'. It's the Author's copy of 'Facts of True Fiction'. I want you to have it, please.

Keigu,

Eriol-san 

Tomoyo stroked the cover of the book. He shouldn't have given her this; this was his copy, the first copy. It was something special, it meant something. 

"Something from England, Tomoyo?" Sonomi smiled into her teacup.

"Yes. Eriol-san has sent me a copy of the book he and Yamazaki-san have written." She slid the book, carefully, across the table to her mother.

"He's written you a message, too, Tomoyo." Sonomi said handing it back and moving to rinse out her cup—there were some things that required a bit of tact and privacy.

Tomoyo flipped to the flyleaf and stopped, staring. "_For the best friend and unofficial editor I could have ever dreamed of. Thank you for everything, Tomoyo-san. Love, Eriol-san._" She read in a whisper. 

"That was quite a sweet of…Tomoyo?" Sonomi had turned to address her daughter and found that she'd left. Sonomi smiled at nothing in particular. "Honto ne, very sweet."

* * *

_Haikei Eriol-san,_

A funny thing happened today. Mother and I were cleaning things out of her closet; Mother is donating some of her business suits (and her time) to a new charity to help people dress for interviews and things like that...anyway we came across a box of old photographs from when I was very little. One of the pictures was from a day in the King Penguin Park. I don't remember going, my mother was very careful about letting me out of the house when I was young. The lady in the picture next to Sakura-chan and me is her mother, Nadeshiko-san; my mother is holding her hand. Mother said that this picture was taken only a few weeks before Nadeshiko-san died. Then she got very quiet and said that she was going to have a copy made for Kinomoto-sensei.

The reason I'm giving you a copy is because, aside from Sakura-chan and me, you can see many of our other friends from Tomoeda. Rika-san is the girl on the swings. I remember her from that time because her father still worked at Daidouji Toys then and he often came over for dinner with my father. Naoko-chan is also on the swings; she is the girl who has twisted her swing around. She liked to spin around in circles very fast, in fact, she was going to show me at school one day in first grade until my bodyguards came over and scared her away.

The little boy by Emperor Penguin and the little girl on the ground are Yamazaki-san and Chiharu-chan. I don't know why she is crying, but those are her brothers heading towards them, looking very mean. When I asked Chiharu-chan about it, she said that was the first day that she and Yamazaki-san became friends. The woman on the other side of Takashi is his mother. She was already beginning to get gray hairs from her son even then, but she is not much older than my mother is; I bet that you made your mother gray early as well.

I have to go. I will probably not write to you for a little while, the end-of-term exams are coming up and I need to study. __

Friends,

Tomoyo-san

Eriol smiled at the picture in his hand. Even as very little girl, Tomoyo still looked exactly like Tomoyo. They all looked like he remembered them, mostly. "Spinel?" 

"Yes?" Spinel was perched on top of the bookshelves, dusting. "Something important?"

"To me. I need a picture frame." Spinel gave him an arched look that said 'so?' before leaping down to sit on the desk. "Tomoyo-san sent me a picture. See, almost everybody is in it." Spinel nodded, then looked thoughtful.

"I think we might have a picture frame around someplace. Ruby Moon made one for handicrafts in school. You would have to ask her where it might be."

"Ask who where what might be?" Ruby Moon asked, tossing her book-bag onto the floor by her desk. "I have Maths today. And cooking for tomorrow. Shall we make tarts, Suppi?"

"Don't call me Suppi." Spinel sighed. Eriol smiled and pushed the picture across his desk for Ruby Moon to see.

"I need a frame." He said. "Spinel thinks you might let me use the one you made." The idea pleased him, for some reason.

Ruby Moon snatched the picture up and studied it. "The frame is on the table by my bed. Ooooo! They all look like _babies_!" She squealed. "Look how little they are! And to think that Yamazaki-kun and Chiharu-chan are engaged! And that he and you have a book coming out in a few months! And little Rika-chan already got married!" Ruby Moon hauled out a hankie. "Oh, how sweet." 

Spinel hovered back into the room with the frame, followed by Kaho. "Really, Ruby Moon, you're taking the 'girl' thing a bit too far." He informed her, and brought the frame to Eriol. The frame was bright green, with yellow daisies growing up the sides and along the top. It was he thought, quite perfectly fitting. 

"Suppi! Let me have a moment! We haven't seen anybody in FOUR years." Ruby Moon snipped. "Really."

Kaho studied the picture as Eriol slid it into the frame. "I wouldn't say that, Akizuki-san. Eriol's written to Tomoeda often enough." Something in her tone made Eriol look at her. "And he's had a letter a week from Daidouji-chan."

"It's not the same as _seeing_ them." Nakuru protested. "I bet they all look _different_ now." A dreamy look crossed her face. "I bet little Tomoyo-chan grew up into a _beautiful_ young lady, oh and Sakura-chaaaaan."

Eriol felt a quiet smile drift over his face. "It's hard to imagine them looking different from how I remember them, it's been so long." He trailed one finger along the frame. "Only Li Xiao-Lang and Li Mei-Ling are missing." 

"They weren't in Tomoeda as children." Kaho reminded them, as Spinel and Nakuru nodded in ascent with Eriol. "They only came a year before you did."

"But in my heart, I think that they were there." Eriol told her, trying to explain something. "It feels right, that they should have been there. Like I should have been there too." His smile went wistful. "I would have liked to grow up with all of them. Kaho, don't you ever feel like things could be different if you imagined it hard enough?" He asked her, when it looked as though she was going to disagree. 

Instead, she sighed. "I'm going to start dinner." She told him, leaving the study. Eriol watched after her until she was out of sight. There was something, he thought, something going on that he didn't quite understand despite Tomoyo's insistence that Kaho was not upset with him. "It'll be ready in an hour, so finish up in there." She called from the kitchen. Eriol grabbed some paper from Ruby Moon's desk and began to write. As he wrote, he caught site of something beneath his edited manuscript. Something, he smirked, that would be a perfect 'thank-you' for the picture. 

* * *

Tomoyo giggled at the picture that fell into her lap. Poor Ruby Moon. She doubted that Eriol had had her permission to send such a picture. Still smiling, she turned her attention to the letter that had come with the picture. She slowly lost her smile as she read.

__

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

Thanks very much for the picture! I will have to contact Li Yelan and see if there are any pictures of Li Syaoran and Li Meiling that I might have. Then I will have pictures of all my friends from when they were children. If I get any pictures (and I will, the Li Clan is a little frightened of me because I was once part of Clow Reed) I will make copies for you.

Unfortunately I cannot give you any pictures of myself from when I was little. When I first came into being, I was as you first met me—already eleven years old. I waited, with Spinel and Ruby Moon, for Sakura-san to be born so that she could collect the cards and break Clow Reed's power. I only began to age when that happened.

Since I don't have any pictures of myself to give to you, please accept this photo of Ruby Moon. She has promised that if anybody other than she, Spinel, or I saw it that she would very cheerfully break both my legs and all of my fingers. Please show it to whomever you'd like. Especially Kinomoto-san and Yue-san.

Good luck on your exams, though I don't believe you'll need it,

Always,

Eriol-san

She'd forgotten. He didn't have a mother or a father. Like Kinomoto-sensei, he had simply come into being as he was, with no family at all. With only what Clow had left behind for him. It was very sad. Very sad, because she could see him so clearly as a child, as he _must_ have been. 

"And," she mused aloud, "He sounds very lonely when he talks about that." She remembered his response to the family in the park that she'd written about. He'd been sad then, because he'd never had any kind of family save Ruby Moon and Spinel, she just hadn't noticed it. She wondered if he'd always wanted that kind of family. She was willing to bet that he had, since he had professed wanting it now. "I know what that's like." She murmured. 

Thoughtfully, Tomoyo went to the desk with her art supplies. She couldn't undo Clow's work, but she could fix the gaps as best she could. She picked up a charcoal and sketched a rectangle, just slightly larger than the picture she'd carried from the bed to the desk. From the edges of the rectangle she began to draw Penguin Park after the rain. And Eriol-san and Li-kun and Yamazaki-kun, because little boys usually got into trouble together. Reaching for a pastel stick she coated Syaoran and Yamazaki in mud and grass. But not Eriol-san, she thought. Oh no, his clothes would be spotless. But his hands, and his face and his hair…one wouldn't have to wonder what the boys had gotten into. She tucked a flower in with the leaves and sticks in Syaoran's hair, and put a frog into Eriol's outstretched hands. Yamazaki, soaked to the skin, would have had a pocketful of smooth stones from the bottom of whatever brook he'd fallen into.

She drew back and looked at the memory she'd created. It seemed so real, like it had happened some_when_. She could see it all so clearly. A time and a place when Li-kun and Meiling-chan and Eriol-kun had been a part of growing up in Tomoeda, a time when Sakura-chan hadn't moved into town, but had been born there as Tomoyo had. It wasn't real but it was slightly more than a dream, now. It was a nice dream to have. Humming, Tomoyo selected a pair of decorative pinking shears. "It's a nice dream to give." She said softly.

* * *

__

Haikei Eriol-san,

You will forgive me for the lateness of this letter, but you told me a very foolish lie in your last letter. Of course there are pictures of you from when you were young. Taken here in Tomoeda, when your father brought you to visit his family here. Your father and mine were once very good friends, and so you stayed with us. You came to visit several times, actually. I am surprised that you don't remember.

I have many pictures from that time, though it took me days to find them all. There are even other pictures of you and your family that your father left with mine. Mother kept them even after Father left because she said that you and I were very good friends and were both very sad when you had to return to England.

I have sent as many of the pictures from your time here that I could find. Perhaps since you have no pictures that is why you didn't remember coming to stay before.

Your Osananajimi,

Daidouji Tomoyo

They spilled across his lap, several dozen of them; thick, square pieces of art paper, their edges cut by pinking shears. Watercolors, pastels, oils, charcoals—all neatly labeled with the month and year, names and ages. Some had captions: 'Eriol-kun's first black eye' proclaimed one picture of he, Yamazaki and Xiao-Lang. They looked all of six or seven. 

One, a large oil, bigger than the rest and neatly matted, showed him as he was at—he checked the date—three years old. He had freckles across the bridge of his nose and no glasses and a grin that could only be called 'impish'.

Rika-san, Chiharu-san, Naoko-san, all gathered around a crying four year old Sakura-san while tiny Tomoyo-san menaced a four year-old Eriol and Yamazaki-kun and four year-old Xiao-Lang ran away from an angry Mei-Ling. 

A pair of dark-haired two-year olds with flushed, rosy cheeks curled together under a rosebush in a lush garden, sleeping in the shade. Daidouji Sonomi smiling tenderly down at the two, brushing Tomoyo's hair away from her eyes.

A watercolor of Ruby Moon hosting a tea party for just the girls, Kero and Yue-san. A hand-lettered sign announced that 'No Boys or Suppi-chans were allowed. A charcoal of he, Yamazaki, Syaoran and Touya crashing the tea party and stealing the cakes. Feeding the sweets to a protesting Spinel; Spinel blasting all of them.

He felt his breath catch in his throat and had to blink rapidly in order to breath again. Another large picture, also matted, this one a pastel. A baby with dark hair and solemn gray-violet eyes, being held by a very excited eight-year old Ruby Moon. An infant Spinel, with tiny, tiny wings, lay curled and asleep on the baby's lap, one of Ruby Moon's hands brushing against his fur, twisting the straight tail into a cute, miniature curl. 

Another, he, Spinel, Ruby Moon. Older now, Eriol nearing nine and Ruby Moon at least sixteen and Spinel Sun's wings were their full size. A mother and a father in this one, who looked nothing so much like Fujitaka and an English version of Yamazaki's mother, with gray hairs showing at her temples. He was missing a tooth, Ruby Moon had braces. A family portrait. His family. Nearly sobbing Eriol clutched the pictures to his chest, rocking slightly. He didn't hear the low, keening sound that brought Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon rushing to his side.

"Eriol? What's wrong? Eriol?!" Ruby Moon even went so far as to shake him, lightly, by the shoulders. He turned a dazzling smile to her, and a tear-streaked face. 

"Nothing is wrong." His smile widened. "Everything is fine."

"…?" Said Ruby Moon, in disbelief.

"I was just looking at some old photos. I was…I was remembering when we were children." He closed his eyes slightly and ran a thumb along the edge of one of the photos he clutched.

"Photos? _Children?!_ Eriol, maybe...?" She shot a helpless glance at Spinel Sun that clearly said 'Eriol's finally made it the rest of the way around the bend'. 

Spinel didn't say anything; he was too concerned with something on the floor--a square with rippled edges that he flipped gently with a paw. One of the precious photos had fallen to the floor. A man who looked like Kinomoto-sensei, a woman with graying hair, reading to a small boy, a young girl and a small, winged cat.

"It's alright, Ruby Moon." He soothed, shifting into his small form. "Eriol was just looking at his photos."

Ruby Moon shifted to her false form as well, and plucked a picture from the pile. "Tomoyo-chan made these?" A young version of her was lifting Eriol towards a flower-patterned cookie-jar while Suppi hovered as lookout.

"Yes" Eriol muttered thickly. "I'm not sure how she knew...she knew that I wanted, I wanted..." He trailed off, blinking rapidly, heart full.

Spinel butted against his jaw affectionately. "Everybody has dreams."

Ruby Moon settled onto the arm of his chair. "Just, not everybody has somebody who understands those dreams and tries to give them."

"Yes." He traced his features in one picture, an angry Eriol on his first day at school. "We need to get a photo album for these."

"Kaho-sensei won't be back for hours yet." Spinel informed him. "And the shopping center is too busy to use the Move."

"Ruby Moon can drive us." Eriol grinned as Ruby Moon, excited, yelped and darted off to find the car keys. "I want to do this like normal people do."

"Ruby Moon isn't normal."

"Sure she is." An evil chuckle. "She had braces."

"Did she?"

"Yes." A sweet, slow smile. "I lost a tooth."

Spinel aimed a measuring look at Eriol. "Should we stop at the Stationary store?"

"Yes. Yes, we should. I want to get special paper. I need to tell Tomoyo-san thank you. I…to tell her what this means…but…it just seems….It's too _big_."

"Shall we stop at the travel agency before or after the Stationary?"

Eriol blinked. He considered. He smiled. "After."

"Eriol, Suppi! I'm ready to Go-oooooo!"

* * *

__

Keigu

  
Honto ne: Really _or_ truly.  
Otanjoubiomedetougozaimasu: Happy Birthday (as you probably guessed)  
Nakayoshi: Dear friend, close friend (interesting note: Also the name of the magazine which published CCS)  
Osananajimi: Childhood friend  
Obasan: Aunt. Something you would call a woman the same age as your mother as a polite form of address.  
-no baka: It's how you call somebody (in particular) an idiot.

The songs, from this fic (all chapters), are: Mata Ashita (See You Tomorrow), the ending theme from Maho Tsukai Tai!; Scarlet is the opening theme from Ayashi no Ceres, and 'Namida wa Shitte iru' (Tears Know) the end theme from Rurouni Kenshin. They've all got something in common...see if you can guess what it is. Nothing big and if you e-mail me I'll tell you. ^.^ 

Full lyrics for all (plus some translations and MIDI files) can be found at http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/ It's fun!

It'll be a while before the sequel, Kitaku, is out. Until then why don't you go here: http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=121874 and read some other good stuff and leave Chelle-sama (my twin, my muse, my beta) some nice reviews.


End file.
